ALEXANDER, John.
A Scotch buccaneer; one of Captain Sharp's crew. Drowned on
May 9th, 1681. Captain Sharp, with a party of twenty-four men,
had landed on the Island of Chiva, off the coast of Peru, and
taken several prisoners, amongst whom was a shipwright and his
man, who were actually at work building two great ships for the
Spaniards. Sharp, thinking these men would be very useful to him,
took them away, with all their tools and a quantity of ironwork,
in a dory, to convey them off to his ship. But the dory,
being[Pg
28] overladen, sank, and Alexander was drowned. On the
evening of May 12th his body was found; which they took up, and
next day "threw him overboard, giving him three French vollies
for his customary ceremony."
ALI BASHA.
Of Algiers. Barbary corsair.
Conquered the Kingdom of Tunis in the sixteenth century, and
captured many Maltese galleys. He brought the development of
organized piracy to its greatest perfection.
In 1571 Ali Basha commanded a fleet of no fewer than 250
Moslem galleys in the battle of Lepanto, when he was severely
defeated, but escaped with his life.
ALLESTON, Captain.
Commanded a vessel of eighteen tons, no guns, and a crew of
twenty-four. In March, 1679, sailed in company with eight other
vessels, under command of Captain Harris, to the Coast of Darien,
and marched on foot across the isthmus, on his way attacking and
sacking Santa Maria.
AMAND or ANNAND, Alexander.
Of Jamaica.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew in the Royal James.
Hanged on November 8th, 1718, at White Point, Charleston, South
Carolina, and buried in the marsh below low-water mark.
AMEER, Ibrahim.
An admiral of an Arabian fleet of Red Sea pirates. In 1816 he
captured four British merchant vessels on their way to
Surat.[Pg
29]
ANDRESON, Captain Cornelius.
A Dutch pirate. Sailed from Boston in 1674 with Captain
Roderigo to plunder English ships along the coast of Maine, in a
vessel called the Penobscot Shallop.
Tried at Cambridge, Massachusetts, sentenced to death, but
later on pardoned. Afterwards fought very bravely for the English
colonists against the Indians.
ANDROEAS, Captain.
A Chief or Captain of the Darien Indians, who in 1679
conducted the buccaneers under Coxon and Harris across the
isthmus to attack Santa Maria and afterwards to make an attempt
on Panama.
Captain Androeas had a great esteem for the English, partly
because the buccaneers were kind to the Indians, and partly
because of the Indians' fear and hatred of the Spaniards. He
afterwards led back a party of malcontents under Captain Coxon
from the Pacific side of the isthmus.
ANGORA, Sultan of Timor.
Refusing to allow the East India Company to station garrisons
on Timor, he was driven out of the whole of his island except the
chief town, also called Angora.
Deciding to take revenge, he turned pirate and went to sea in
command of a small fleet of five well-armed prows and several
galleys. His first prize was a packet brig carrying despatches
from Calcutta to the English General before Angora. Captain
Hastings, the commander, a near relation of Warren Hastings, and
a gallant officer, had thrown the despatches overboard, for which
he was hanged, while the crew were[Pg 30] sent to prison at
Angora and afterwards poisoned. His next prize was an East Indian
ship, the Edward, Captain Harford, the crew of which were
also poisoned. Cruising off Bombay he defeated a vessel sent out
by the Government to attack him. After taking other English
vessels, Angora met with a richly laden ship from Burmah, a
country whose sovereign he was on friendly terms with, but the
Sultan-pirate took this ship and drowned every soul on board
except one woman, who, owing to her great beauty, he kept for
himself. His next victim was a well-armed Malay praam, which he
captured after a severe fight. The crew he shackled and threw
overboard, while he burnt the vessel. Paying another visit to
Bombay, he caught the garrison unprepared, blew up the fort, and
sailed off with some sheep, cows, and pigs. A few days later the
pirate seized an English packet, St. George, and after he
had tortured to death the captain, the terrified crew joined his
service. Returning to Timor with his plunder, he was surprised by
the arrival off the port of H.M.S. Victorious,
seventy-four guns, which had been sent to take him. Slipping out
of harbour unobserved in the night in his fastest sailing praam,
he escaped to Trincomalee in Ceylon, where the East India Company
decided to allow him to remain undisturbed.
ANGRIA.
Brother of a famous pirate, Angora, Sultan of Timor. When the
Sultan retired from practice to the Island of Ceylon he gave his
brother his praam, a fast vessel armed with thirty-eight
guns.
Angria's brother Angora had been dethroned from the Island of
Timor by the English Government, and this had prevented the
former from all hope of succeeding as Sultan. Owing to this,
Angria, a very[Pg 31] vindictive man, nursed against the
English Government a very real grievance. Declaring himself
Sultan of another smaller island, Little Timor, he sailed out to
look for spoil. His first victim was the Elphinston, which
he took some eighty miles off Bombay. Putting the crew of
forty-seven men into an open boat, without water, and with
scarcely room to move, he left them. It was in the hottest month
of the year, and only twenty-eight of them reached Bombay
alive.
Angria, being broad-minded on the subject of his new
profession, did not limit himself to taking only English vessels,
for meeting with two Chinese junks, laden with spices and riches,
he plundered them both, and tying the crew back to back threw
them into the sea to drown. One of the Chinamen, while watching
his companions being drowned, managed to get a hand free from his
ropes, and, taking his dagger, stabbed Angria, but, missing his
heart, only wounded him in the shoulder. To punish him the pirate
had the skin cut off his back and then had him beaten with canes.
Then lashing him firmly down to a raft he was thrown overboard.
After drifting about for three days and nights he was picked up,
still alive, by a fishing-boat and carried to Bombay, where,
fully recovered, he lived the rest of his days.
Angria continued his activities for three years, during which
space he was said to have murdered in cold blood over 500
Englishmen. He was eventually chased by Commander Jones in H.M.S.
Asia, sixty-four guns, into Timor, and after a close siege
of the town for twelve months, Angria was shot by one of the mob
while haranguing them from a balcony.
After Commander Jones's death his widow built a tower at
Shooter's Hill, by Woolwich Common, to perpetuate the memory of
her husband who had rid the Indian Ocean of the tyrant
Angria.[Pg
32]
The following lines are from the pen of Robert Bloomfield, and
allude to this monument:
Yon far-famed monumental
tower
Records the achievements of
the brave,
And Angria's subjugated
power,
Who plunder'd on the Eastern
Wave.
ANSTIS, Captain Thomas.
The first mention of the name of this notorious pirate occurs
in the year 1718, when we hear of him shipping himself at
Providence in a sloop called the Buck in company with five
other rascals who were conspiring together to seize the vessel
and with her go "a-pyrating."
Of these five, one was Howel Davis, who was afterwards killed
in an affair at the Island of Princes; another, Denman Topping,
who was killed in the taking of a rich Portuguese ship on the
coast of Brazil; a third, Walter Kennedy, was eventually hanged
at Execution Dock, while the two others, who escaped the usual
end of pirates—that is, by hanging, shooting, or drowning
in saltwater or rum—disappeared into respectable obscurity
in employment of some sort in the City of London.
This party of six conspirators was the nucleus of a very
powerful combination of pirates, which eventually came under the
command of the famous Captain Roberts.
Anstis's pirate career began as did most others. They cruised
about amongst the West India Islands, seizing and plundering all
merchant ships they chanced upon, and, if we are to believe some
of the stories that were circulated at the time of their
treatment of their prisoners, they appear to have been an even
rougher lot of scoundrels than was usual.
Before long they seized a very stout ship, the Morning
Star, bound from Guinea to Carolina, and fitted her up with
thirty-two cannons taken from[Pg 33] another prize; manned
her with a crew of one hundred men, and put Captain John Fenn in
command. Anstis, as the elder officer, could have had command of
this newer and larger ship, but he was so in love with his own
vessel, the Good Fortune, which was an excellent sailer,
that he preferred to remain in her.
The party now had two stout ships, but, as so often happened,
trouble began to ferment amongst the crew. A large number of
these had been more or less forced to "go a-pyrating," and were
anxious to avoid the consequences, so they decided to send a
round-robin—that is, a petition—signed by all with
their names in a circle so that no rogue could be held to be more
prominent than any other, to ask for the King's pardon.
This round-robin was addressed to "his most sacred Majesty
George, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and
Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith," etc.
This petition was sent to England by a merchant vessel then
sailing from Jamaica, while the crews hid their ships amongst the
mangrove swamps of a small uninhabited island off the coast of
Cuba. Here they waited for nine months for an answer to their
petition to the King, living on turtle, fish, rice, and, of
course, rum ad lib. as long as it lasted.
To pass the time various diversions were instigated,
particularly dancing—a pastime in great favour amongst
pirates. We have a most amusing account left us of a mock court
of justice held by them to try one another of piracy, and he who
was on one day tried as the prisoner would next day take his turn
at being Judge.
This shows a grim sense of humour, as most of those who took
part in these mock trials were certain to end their careers
before a real trial unless they came to a sudden and violent end
beforehand.[Pg 34]
Here is an account of one such mock-trial as given to Captain
Johnson, the historian of the pirates, by an eyewitness:
"The Court and Criminals being both appointed, as also Council
to plead, the Judge got up in a Tree, and had a dirty Taurpaulin
hung over his shoulder; this was done by Way of Robe, with a
Thrum Cap on his Head, and a large Pair of Spectacles upon his
Nose. Thus equipp'd, he settled himself in his Place; and
abundance of Officers attending him below, with Crows,
Handspikes, etc., instead of Wands, Tipstaves, and such like....
The Criminals were brought out, making a thousand sour Faces; and
one who acted as Attorney-General opened the Charge against them;
their Speeches were very laconick, and their whole Proceedings
concise. We shall give it by Way of Dialogue.
"Attor. Gen.: 'An't please your Lordship, and you Gentlemen of
the Jury, here is a Fellow before you that is a sad Dog, a sad
sad Dog; and I humbly hope your Lordship will order him to be
hang'd out of the Way immediately.... He has committed Pyracy
upon the High Seas, and we shall prove, an't please your
Lordship, that this Fellow, this sad Dog before you, has escaped
a thousand Storms, nay, has got safe ashore when the Ship has
been cast away, which was a certain Sign he was not born to be
drown'd; yet not having the Fear of hanging before his Eyes, he
went on robbing and ravishing Man, Woman and Child, plundering
Ships Cargoes fore and aft, burning and sinking Ship, Bark and
Boat, as if the Devil had been in him. But this is not all, my
Lord, he has committed worse Villanies than all these, for we
shall prove, that he has been guilty of drinking Small-Beer; and
your Lordship knows, there never was a sober Fellow but what was
a Rogue. My Lord, I should have spoke much finer than I do now,
but that[Pg
35] as your Lordship knows our Rum is all out, and how
should a Man speak good Law that has not drank a Dram....
However, I hope, your Lordship will order the Fellow to be
hang'd.'
"Judge: '... Hearkee me, Sirrah ... you lousy, pittiful,
ill-look'd Dog; what have you to say why you should not be tuck'd
up immediately, and set a Sun-drying like a Scare-crow?... Are
you guilty, or not guilty?'
"Pris.: 'Not guilty, an't please your Worship.'
"Judge: 'Not guilty! say so again, Sirrah, and I'll have you
hang'd without any Tryal.'
"Pris.: 'An't please your Worship's Honour, my Lord, I am as
honest a poor Fellow as ever went between Stem and Stern of a
Ship, and can hand, reef, steer, and clap two Ends of a Rope
together, as well as e'er a He that ever cross'd salt Water; but
I was taken by one George Bradley' (the Name of him that sat as
Judge,) 'a notorious Pyrate, a sad Rogue as ever was unhang'd,
and he forc'd me, an't please your Honour.'
"Judge: 'Answer me, Sirrah.... How will you be try'd?'
"Pris.: 'By G—— and my Country.'
"Judge: 'The Devil you will.... Why then, Gentlemen of the
Jury, I think we have nothing to do but to proceed to
Judgement.'
"Attor. Gen.: 'Right, my Lord; for if the Fellow should be
suffered to speak, he may clear himself, and that's an Affront to
the Court.'
"Pris.: 'Pray, my Lord, I hope your Lordship will consider
...'
"Judge: 'Consider!... How dare you talk of considering?...
Sirrah, Sirrah, I never consider'd in all my Life.... I'll make
it Treason to consider.'
"Pris.: 'But, I hope, your Lordship will hear some
reason.'[Pg
36]
"Judge: 'D'ye hear how the Scoundrel prates?... What have we
to do with the Reason?... I'd have you to know, Raskal, we don't
sit here to hear Reason ... we go according to Law.... Is our
Dinner ready?'
"Attor. Gen.: 'Yes, my Lord.'
"Judge: 'Then heark'ee you Raskal at the Bar; hear me, Sirrah,
hear me.... You must suffer, for three reasons; first, because it
is not fit I should sit here as Judge, and no Body be hanged....
Secondly, you must be hanged, because you have a damn'd hanging
Look.... And thirdly, you must be hanged, because I am hungry;
for, know, Sirrah, that 'tis a Custom, that whenever the Judge's
Dinner is ready before the Tryal is over, the Prisoner is to be
hanged of Course.... There's Law for you, ye Dog.... So take him
away Gaoler.'"
In August, 1722, the pirates sailed out from their
hiding-place and waylaid the ship which was returning to Jamaica
with the answer to the petition, but to their disappointment
heard that no notice had been taken of their round-robin by the
Government at home.
No time was lost in returning to their old ways, for the very
next day both pirate ships left their hiding-place and sailed out
on the "grand account."
But now their luck deserted them, for the Morning Star
was run aground on a reef by gross neglect on the part of the
officers and wrecked. Most of the crew escaped on to an island,
where Captain Anstis found them next day, and no sooner had he
taken aboard Captain Fenn, Phillips, the carpenter, and a few
others, than all of a sudden down upon them came two men-of-war,
the Hector and the Adventure, so that Anstis had
barely time to cut his cables and get away to sea, hotly pursued
by the Adventure. The latter, in a stiff breeze, was
slowly gaining on the brigantine[Pg 37] when all of a sudden
the wind dropped, the pirates got out the sweeps, and thus
managed, for the time being, to escape. In the meantime the
Hector took prisoner the forty pirates remaining on the
island.
Anstis soon got to work again, and captured several prizes. He
then sailed to the Island of Tobago to clean and refit his ship.
Just when all the guns and stores had been landed and the ship
heeled, as ill-luck would have it, the Winchester,
man-of-war, put into the bay; and the pirates had barely time to
set their ship on fire and to escape into the woods. Anstis had
by now lost all authority over his discontented crew, and one
night was shot while asleep in his hammock.
ANTONIO.
Captain of the Darien Indians and friend to the English
buccaneers.
ARCHER, John Rose.
He learnt his art as a pirate in the excellent school of the
notorious Blackbeard.
In 1723 he was, for the time being, in honest employment in a
Newfoundland fishing-boat, which was captured by Phillips and his
crew. As Phillips was only a beginner at piracy, he was very glad
to get the aid of such an old hand at the game as John Archer,
whom he promptly appointed to the office of quartermaster in the
pirate ship. This quick promotion caused some murmuring amongst
Phillips's original crew, the carpenter, Fern, being particularly
outspoken against it.
Archer ended his days on the gallows at Boston on June 2nd,
1724, and we read that he "dy'd very penitent, with the
assistance of two grave Divines to attend him."[Pg 38]
ARGALL.
Licensed and titled buccaneer.
Believed to have buried a rich treasure in the Isles of
Shoals, off Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the seventeenth
century.
ARMSTRONG.
Born in London. A deserter from the Royal Navy. One of Captain
Roberts's crew taken by H.M.S. Swallow, from which ship he
had previously deserted.
In an account of his execution on board H.M.S. Weymouth
we read: "Being on board a Man of War there was no Body to press
him to an Acknowledgement of the Crime he died for, nor of
sorrowing in particular for it, which would have been exemplary,
and made suitable Impressions on seamen; so that his last Hour
was spent in lamenting and bewailing his Sins in general,
exhorting the Spectators to an honest and good life, in which
alone they could find Satisfaction."
This painful scene ended by the condemned singing with the
spectators a few verses of the 140th Psalm: at the conclusion of
which, at the firing of a gun, "he was tric'd up at the Fore
Yard."
Died at the age of 34.
ARNOLD, Sion.
A Madagascar pirate, who was brought to New England by Captain
Shelley in 1699.
ASHPLANT, Valentine.
Born in the Minories, London. He served with Captain Howell
Davis, and later with Bartholomew Roberts. He was one of the
leading lights of Roberts's crew, a member of the "House of
Lords."
He took part in the capture and plundering of the[Pg 39]
King Solomon at Cape Apollonia, North-West Coast of
Africa, in January, 1719, when the pirates, in an open boat,
attacked the ship while at anchor. Ashplant was taken prisoner
two years later by H.M.S. Swallow. Tried for piracy at
Cape Coast Castle and found guilty in March, 1722, and hanged in
chains there at the age of 32.
ATWELL.
A hand aboard the brig Vineyard in 1830, he took part
with Charles Gibbs and others in a mutiny in which both the
captain and mate was murdered.
AUGUR, Captain John.
A pirate of New Providence, Bahama Islands. He accepted the
royal pardon in 1718, and impressed the Governor, Woodes Rogers,
so favourably that he was placed in command of a sloop to go and
trade amongst the islands. A few days out Augur met with two
sloops, "the sight of which dispelled all memory of their late
good intention," and turning pirates once more, they seized the
two sloops and took out of them money and goods to the value of
£500.
The pirates now sailed for Hispaniola, but with bad luck, or
owing to retribution, a sudden hurricane arose which drove them
back to the one spot in the West Indies they must have been most
anxious to avoid—that is, the Bahama Islands. Here the
sloop became a total wreck, but the crew got ashore and for a
while lay hidden in a wood. Rogers, hearing where they were, sent
an armed sloop to the island, and the captain by fair promises
induced the eleven marooned pirates to come aboard. Taking these
back to Providence, Rogers had them all tried before a court of
lately converted pirates, and they were condemned to[Pg 40] be
hanged. While standing on the gallows platform the wretched
culprits reproached the crowd of spectators, so lately their
fellow-brethren in piracy, for allowing their old comrades to be
hanged, and urging them to come to the rescue. But virtue was
still strong in these recent converts, and all the comfort the
criminals got was to be told "it was their Business to turn their
Minds to another World, and sincerely to repent of what
Wickedness they had done in this." "Yes," answered the now
irritated and in no-wise abashed Augur, "I do heartily
repent: I repent I have not done more Mischief, and that we did
not cut the Throats of them that took us, and I am extremely
sorry that you an't all hang'd as well as we."
AUSTIN, James.
Captured with the rest of Captain John Quelch's crew in the
brigantine Charles. Escaped for a time, but was caught and
secured in the gaol at Piscataqua, and later on tried for piracy
at the Star Tavern at Boston in June, 1704.
AVERY, Captain John, alias Henry Every, alias
Captain Bridgeman. Nicknamed "Long Ben," or the
"Arch-Pirate."
In the year 1695, when at the height of his career, Avery
caught the public's fancy as no other pirate ever did, with the
possible exception of Captain Kidd. So much so that his
achievements, or supposed achievements, formed the plot of
several popular novels and plays.
Charles Johnson wrote a play called "The Successful Pyrate,"
which work ran into several editions, and was acted at the
Theatre Royal in Drury Lane.
The scene in this play was laid in the Island of[Pg 41]
Madagascar, and the hero was modelled on Captain Avery.
This pirate was a Devonshire man, being born near Plymouth
about the year 1665, and was bred to the sea. He sailed on
several voyages as mate aboard a merchantman. He was later
appointed first officer in an armed privateer The Duke,
Commander Captain Gibson, which sailed from Bristol for Spain,
being hired by the Spaniards for service in the West Indies
against the French pirates.
Avery soon plotted a mutiny, which was carried out while
The Duke lay at anchor in Cadiz Harbour; the ship was
seized, and the captain put ashore. Avery was elected captain,
and he renamed the ship the Charles the Second. For more
than a year Avery sailed in this vessel, preying without
distinction upon persons of all nations and religions.
After leaving Spain he first sailed to the Isle of May,
holding the Portuguese governor for ransom till provisions were
sent on board. He took near here three English ships, then sailed
to the coast of Guinea to procure slaves. To catch these Avery
would anchor off a village and hoist English colours. The
trusting negroes would then paddle off to the ship in canoes,
bringing gold to traffic with. At a given signal these natives
would be seized, clapped in irons, and thrown into the hold.
Avery next sailed to the Island of Princes, where he attacked
two Danish ships, and took them both. The next place the pirates
touched at was Madagascar, from there they sailed to the Red Sea
to await the fleet expected from Mocha. To pass the time and to
earn an honest penny the pirates called in at a town called Meat,
there to sell to the natives some of their stolen merchandise.
But the cautious inhabitants refused to do any business with
these suspicious looking merchants, so in order to punish them
the pirates burnt[Pg 42] down their town. They next visited
Aden, where they met two other English pirate ships, and were
soon joined by three others from America, all on the same
enterprise.
Expecting the Mocha fleet to come along, they waited here, but
the fleet slipped past the pirates in the night. Avery was after
them the next morning, and catching them up, singled out the
largest ship, fought her for two hours, and took her. She proved
to be the Gunsway, belonging to the Great Mogul himself,
and a very valuable prize, as out of her they took 100,000 pieces
of eight and a like number of chequins, as well as several of the
highest persons of the court who were passengers on a pilgrimage
to Mecca. It was rumoured that a daughter of the Great Mogul was
also on board. Accounts of this exploit eventually reached
England, and created great excitement, so that it soon became the
talk of the town that Captain Avery had taken the beautiful young
princess to Madagascar, where he had married her and was living
in royal state, the proud father of several small princes and
princesses.
The Mogul was naturally infuriated at this outrage on his
ship, and threatened in retaliation to lay waste all the East
India Company's settlements.
Having got a vast booty, Avery and his friends sailed towards
Madagascar, and on the way there Avery, as admiral of the little
fleet, signalled to the captain of the other sloops to come
aboard his vessel. When they arrived Avery put before them the
following ingenious scheme. He proposed that the treasures in the
two sloops should, for safety, be put into his keeping till they
all three arrived in Madagascar. This, being agreed to, was done,
but during the night, after Avery had explained matters to his
own men, he altered his course and left the sloops, and never saw
them again. He now sailed away with all the[Pg 43]
plunder to the West Indies, arriving safely at New Providence
Island in the Bahamas, where he offered the Governor a bribe of
twenty pieces of eight and two pieces of gold to get him a
pardon. Avery arrived in 1696 at Boston, where he appears to have
successfully bribed the Quaker Governor to let him and some of
his crew land with their spoils unmolested. But the pirate did
not feel quite safe, and also thought it would be wellnigh
impossible to sell his diamonds in the colony without being
closely questioned as to how he came by them. So, leaving
America, he sailed to the North of Ireland, where he sold the
sloop. Here the crew finally dispersed, and Avery stopped some
time in Dublin, but was still unable to dispose of his stolen
diamonds. Thinking England would be a better place for this
transaction, he went there, and settled at Bideford in Devon.
Here he lived very quietly under a false name, and through a
friend communicated with certain merchants in Bristol. These came
to see him, accepted his diamonds and some gold cups, giving him
a few pounds for his immediate wants, and took the valuables to
Bristol to sell, promising to send him the money procured for
them. Time dragged on, but nothing came from the Bristol
merchants, and at last it began to dawn on Avery that there were
pirates on land as well as at sea. His frequent letters to the
merchants brought at the most but a few occasional shillings,
which were immediately swallowed up by the payment of his debts
for the bare necessities of life at Bideford. At length, when
matters were becoming desperate, Avery was taken ill and died
"not being worth as much as would buy him a coffin." Thus ended
Avery, "the Grand Pirate," whose name was known all over Europe,
and who was supposed to be reigning as a king in Madagascar when
all the while he was hiding and starving in a cottage at
Bideford.[Pg
44]
AYLETT, Captain.
This buccaneer was killed by an explosion of gunpowder on
board the Oxford during a banquet of Morgan's captains off
Hispaniola in 1669.
BAILY, Job, or Bayley.
Of London.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Hanged at Charleston in
1718.
BAKER, Captain.
One of Gasparilla's gang up to 1822, when they were broken up
by the United States Navy. His favourite hunting-ground was the
Gulf of Mexico.
BALL, Roger.
One of Captain Bartholomew's crew in the Royal Fortune.
Captured by H.M.S. Swallow off the West Coast of Africa.
He had been terribly burnt by an explosion of a barrel of
gunpowder, and while seated "in a private corner, with a look as
sullen as winter," a surgeon of the king's ship came up and asked
him how he came to be blown up in that frightful manner. "Why,"
says he, "John Morris fired a pistol into the powder, and if he
had not done it, I would." The surgeon, with great kindness,
offered to dress the prisoner's wounds, but Ball, although in
terrible pain, refused to allow them to be touched. He died the
same night.
BALLET, John. Buccaneer.
Third mate on board Woodes Rogers's ship, the Duke, but
was by profession a surgeon, in which latter capacity he had
sailed on a previous voyage with Dampier.[Pg 45]
BALTIZAR, Captain.
A terror to all shipping in the Gulf of Mexico in the early
part of the nineteenth century. Brought to Boston as a prisoner
in 1823, taken thence to Kingston, Jamaica, and there hanged. For
some extraordinary reason the American juries seldom would
condemn a pirate to death, so that whenever possible the pirate
prisoners were handed over to the English, who made short shift
with them.
BANNISTER, Captain.
Ran away from Port Royal, Jamaica, in June, 1684, on a
"privateering" venture in a ship of thirty guns. Caught and
brought back by the frigate Ruby, and put on trial by the
Lieutenant-Governor Molesworth, who was at that time very active
in his efforts to stamp out piracy in the West Indies.
Bannister entirely escaped punishment, capital or otherwise,
as he was released by the grand jury on a technical point, surely
most rare good fortune for the captain in days when the law was
elastic enough to fit most crimes, and was far from lenient on
piracy. Six months later the indefatigable captain again eluded
the forts, and for two years succeeded in dodging the frigates
sent out by Governor Molesworth to capture him. Finally, in
January, 1687, Captain Spragge sailed victoriously into Port
Royal with Bannister and three other buccaneers hanging at the
yard-arm, "a spectacle of great satisfaction to all good people,
and of terror to the favourers of pirates."
BARBAROSSA, or
"Redbeard" (his real name was URUJ). Barbary Corsair.
Son of a Turkish renegade and a Christian mother. Born in the
Island of Lesbon in the Ægean Sea, a stronghold of the
Mediterranean pirates.
In 1504 Barbarossa made his headquarters at Tunis,[Pg 46] in
return for which he paid the Sultan one-fifth of all the booty he
took. One of his first and boldest exploits was the capture of
two richly laden galleys belonging to Pope Julius II., on their
way from Genoa to Civita Vecchia. Next year he captured a Spanish
ship with 500 soldiers on board. In 1512 he was invited by the
Moors to assist them in an attempt to retake the town and port of
Bujeya from the Spaniards. After eight days of fighting,
Barbarossa lost an arm, and the siege was given up, but he took
away with him a large Genoese ship. In 1516 Barbarossa changed
his headquarters to Jijil, and took command of an army of 6,000
men and sixteen galliots, with which he attacked and captured the
Spanish fortress of Algiers, of which he became Sultan.
Barbarossa was by now vastly rich and powerful, his fleets
bringing in prizes from Genoa, Naples, Venice, and Spain.
Eventually Charles V. of Spain sent an army of 10,000 troops
to North Africa, defeated the corsairs, and Barbarossa was slain
in battle.
BARBE, Captain Nicholas.
Master of a Breton ship, the Mychell, of St. Malo,
owned by Hayman Gillard. Captured by an English ship in 1532. Her
crew was made up of nine Bretons and five Scots.
BARNARD, Captain. Buccaneer.
In June, 1663, this buccaneer sailed from Port Royal to the
Orinoco. He took and plundered the town of Santo Tomas, and
returned the following March.
BARNES, Captain.
In 1677 several English privateers surprised and sacked the
town of Santa Marta in the Spanish Main.[Pg 47] To
save the town from being burnt, the Governor and Bishop became
hostages until a ransom had been paid. These the pirates, under
the command of Captains Barnes and Coxon, carried back to Jamaica
and delivered up to Lord Vaughan, the Governor of the island.
Vaughan treated the Bishop well, and hired a vessel specially to
send him back to Castagona, for which kindness "the good old man
was exceedingly pleased."
BARNES, Henry.
Of Barbadoes.
Tried for piracy at Newport in 1723, but found to be not
guilty.
BARROW, James.
Taken by Captain Roberts out of the Martha snow
(Captain Lady). Turned pirate and served in the Ranger in
1721.
BELLAMY, Captain Charles. Pirate, Socialist, and orator. A
famous West Indian filibuster.
He began life as a wrecker in the West Indies, but this
business being uncertain in its profits, and Bellamy being an
ambitious young man, he decided with his partner, Paul Williams,
to aim at higher things, and to enter the profession of piracy.
Bellamy had now chosen a calling that lent itself to his
undoubted talents, and his future career, while it lasted, was a
brilliant one.
Procuring a ship, he sailed up and down the coast of Carolina
and New England, taking and plundering numerous vessels; and when
this neighbourhood became too hot for him he would cruise for a
while in the cooler climate of Newfoundland.
Bellamy had considerable gifts for public speaking, and seldom
missed an opportunity of addressing the[Pg 48]
assembled officers and crews of the ships he took, before
liberating or otherwise disposing of them.
His views were distinctly Socialistic. On one occasion, in an
address to a Captain Beer, who had pleaded to have his sloop
returned to him, Captain Bellamy, after clearing his throat,
began as follows: "I am sorry," he said, "that you can't have
your sloop again, for I scorn to do anyone any
mischief—when it is not to my advantage—though you
are a sneaking puppy, and so are all those who will submit to be
governed by laws which rich men have made for their own security,
for the cowardly whelps have not the courage otherwise to defend
what they get by their knavery. But damn ye altogether for a pack
of crafty rascals, and you, who serve them, for a parcel of
hen-hearted numbskulls! They vilify us, the scoundrels do, when
there is the only difference that they rob the poor under cover
of the law, forsooth, and we plunder the rich under the
protection of our own courage. Had you not better make one of us
than sneak after these villains for employment?"
Bellamy's fall came at last at the hands of a whaler captain.
At the time he was in command of the Whidaw and a small
fleet of other pirate craft, which was lying at anchor in the Bay
of Placentia in Newfoundland. Sailing from Placentia for
Nantucket Shoals, he seized a whaling vessel, the Mary
Anne. As the skipper of the whaler knew the coast well,
Bellamy made him pilot of his small fleet. The cunning skipper
one night ran his ship on to a sand-bank near Eastman,
Massachusetts, and the rest of the fleet followed his stern light
on to the rocks. Almost all the crews perished, only seven of the
pirates being saved. These were seized and brought to trial,
condemned, and hanged at Boston in 1726. The days spent between
the sentence and the hanging were not wasted, for we read in a
contemporary[Pg 49] account that "by the indefatigable
pains of a pious and learned divine, who constantly attended
them, they were at length, by the special grace of God, made
sensible of and truly penitent for the enormous crimes they had
been guilty of."
BELVIN, James.
Bo'son to Captain Gow, the pirate. He had the reputation of
being a good sailor but a bloodthirsty fellow. Was hanged at
Wapping in June, 1725.
BEME, Francis.
In 1539 this Baltic pirate was cruising off Antwerp, waiting
to waylay English merchant vessels.
BENDALL, George, or Bendeall.
A flourishing pirate, whose headquarters, in the early
eighteenth century, were in New Providence Island.
In the year 1717, King George offered a free pardon to all
freebooters who would come in and give themselves up. But the
call of the brotherhood was too strong for a few of the "old
hands," and Bendall, amongst others, was off once again to carry
on piracy around the Bahama and Virgin Islands. Within a few
years these last "die-hards" were all killed, drowned, caught, or
hanged.
BENNETT, William.
An English soldier, who deserted from Fort Loyal, Falmouth,
Marne, in 1689, and joined the pirate Pounds. Was sent to prison
at Boston, where he died.
BILL, Philip.
Belonged to the Island of St. Thomas.
One of Captain Roberts's crew. Hanged at the age of
27.[Pg
50]
BISHOP.
An Irishman. Chief mate to the pirate Captain Cobham.
BISHOP, Captain.
In 1613, Bishop and a few other English seamen set up as
pirates at Marmora on the Barbary Coast.
BISHOP, William.
One of Avery's crew. Hanged at Execution Dock in 1691.
BLADS, William.
Born in Rhode Island.
One of Captain Charles Harris's crew. Hanged at Newport on
July 19th, 1723. Age 28.
BLAKE, Benjamin.
A Boston boy, taken prisoner with Captain Pounds's crew at
Tarpaulin Cove.
BLAKE, James.
One of Captain Teach's crew. Hanged in 1718 at Virginia.
BLEWFIELD, Captain, or Blauvelt.
In 1649 this Dutch pirate brought a prize into Newport, Rhode
Island. In 1663 was known to be living among the friendly Indians
at Cape Gratia de Dios on the Spanish Main. He commanded a barque
carrying three guns and a crew of fifty men. He was very active
in the logwood cutting in Honduras. Whether the town and river of
Bluefield take their name from this pirate is uncertain, but the
captain must many a time have gone up the river into the forests
of Nicaragua on his logwood cutting raids.[Pg 51]
BLOT, Captain. French filibuster.
In 1684 was in command of La Quagone, ninety men, eight
guns.
BOLIVAR, Lieutenant.
This Portuguese pirate was first officer to Captain Jonnia. He
was a stout, well-built man of swarthy complexion and keen,
ferocious eyes, huge black whiskers and beard, and a tremendously
loud voice. He took the Boston schooner Exertion at Twelve
League Key on December 17th, 1821.
BOND, Captain.
Of Bristol.
In 1682 arrived at the Cape Verde Islands. Having procured
leave to land on Mayo Island, on the pretence of being an honest
merchant in need of provisions, particularly of beef and goats,
Bond and his crew seized and carried away some of the principal
inhabitants. A year later John Cooke and Cowley arrived at Mayo
in the Revenge, but were prevented by the inhabitants from
landing owing to their recent treatment at the hands of Bond.
BONNET, Major Stede,
alias Captain Thomas, alias Edwards.
The history of this pirate is both interesting and unique. He
was not brought up to the seafaring life; in fact, before he took
to piracy, he had already retired from the Army, with the rank of
Major. He owned substantial landed property in Barbadoes, lived
in a fine house, was married, and much respected by the quality
and gentry of that island. His turning pirate naturally greatly
scandalized his neighbours, and they found it difficult at first
to imagine whatever had caused this sudden and
extraordinary[Pg 52] resolution, particularly in a man of
his position in Society. But when the cause at last came to be
known, he was more pitied than blamed, for it was understood that
the Major's mind had become unbalanced owing to the unbridled
nagging of Mrs. Bonnet. Referring to this, the historian Captain
Johnson writes as follows: "He was afterwards rather pitty'd than
condemned, by those that were acquainted with him, believing that
this Humour of going a-pyrating proceeded from a Disorder in his
Mind, which had been but too visible in him, some Time before
this wicked Undertaking; and which is said to have been
occasioned by some Discomforts he found in a married State; be
that as it will, the Major was but ill qualified for the
Business, as not understanding maritime Affairs." Whatever the
cause of the Major's "disorder of mind," the fact remains that at
his own expense he fitted out a sloop armed with ten guns and a
crew of seventy men. The fact that he honestly paid in cash for
this ship is highly suspicious of a deranged mind, since no other
pirate, to the writer's knowledge, ever showed such a nicety of
feeling, but always stole the ship in which to embark "on the
account." The Major, to satisfy the curious, gave out that he
intended to trade between the islands, but one night, without a
word of farewell to Mrs. Bonnet, he sailed out of harbour in the
Revenge, as he called his ship, and began to cruise off
the coast of Virginia. For a rank amateur, Bonnet met with
wonderful success, as is shown by a list of the prizes he took
and plundered in this first period of his piracy:
The Anne, of Glasgow (Captain Montgomery).
The Turbet, of Barbadoes, which, after plundering, he
burnt, as he did all prizes from Barbadoes.
The Endeavour (Captain Scott).
The Young, of Leith.[Pg 53]
The plunder out of these ships he sold at Gardiner Island,
near New York.
Cruising next off the coast of Carolina, Bonnet took a brace
of prizes, but began to have trouble with his unruly crew, who,
seeing that their captain knew nothing whatever of sea affairs,
took advantage of the fact and commenced to get out of hand.
Unluckily for Bonnet, he at this time met with the famous Captain
Teach, or Blackbeard, and the latter, quickly appreciating how
matters stood, ordered the Major to come aboard his own ship,
while he put his lieutenant, Richards, to command Bonnet's
vessel. The poor Major was most depressed by this undignified
change in his affairs, until Blackbeard lost his ship in Topsail
Inlet, and finding himself at a disadvantage, promptly
surrendered to the King's proclamation and allowed Bonnet to
reassume command of his own sloop. But Major Bonnet had been
suffering from qualms of conscience latterly, so he sailed to
Bath Town in North Carolina, where he, too, surrendered to the
Governor and received his certificate of pardon. Almost at once
news came of war being declared between England and France with
Spain, so Bonnet hurried back to Topsail, and was granted
permission to take back his sloop and sail her to St. Thomas's
Island, to receive a commission as a privateer from the French
Governor of that island. But in the meanwhile Teach had robbed
everything of any value out of Bonnet's ship, and had marooned
seventeen of the crew on a sandy island, but these were rescued
by the Major before they died of starvation. Just as the ship was
ready to sail, a bumboat came alongside to sell apples and cider
to the sloop's crew, and from these they got an interesting piece
of news. They learnt that Teach, with a crew of eighteen men, was
at that moment lying at anchor in Ocricock Inlet. The Major,
longing to revenge the insult he had[Pg 54]
suffered from Blackbeard, and his crew remembering how he had
left them to die on a desert island, went off in search of Teach,
but failed to find him. Stede Bonnet having received his pardon
in his own name, now called himself Captain Thomas and again took
to piracy, and evidently had benefited by his apprenticeship with
Blackbeard, for he was now most successful, taking many prizes
off the coast of Virginia, and later in Delaware Bay.
Bonnet now sailed in a larger ship, the Royal James, so
named from feelings of loyalty to the Crown. But she proved to be
very leaky, and the pirates had to take her to the mouth of Cape
Fear River for repairs. News of this being carried to the Council
of South Carolina, arrangements were made to attempt to capture
the pirate, and a Colonel William Rhet, at his own expense,
fitted out two armed sloops, the Henry (eight guns and
seventy men) and the Sea Nymph (eight guns and sixty men),
both sailing under the direct command of the gallant Colonel. On
September 25th, 1718, the sloops arrived at Cape Fear River, and
there sure enough was the Royal James, with three sloops
lying at anchor behind the bar. The pirate tried to escape by
sailing out, but was followed by the Colonel's two vessels until
all three ran aground within gunshot of each other. A brisk fight
took place for five hours, when the Major struck his colours and
surrendered. There was great public rejoicing in Charleston when,
on October 3rd, Colonel Rhet sailed victoriously into the harbour
with his prisoners. But next day Bonnet managed to escape out of
prison and sailed to Swillivant's Island. The indefatigable
Colonel Rhet again set out after the Major, and again caught him
and brought him back to Charleston.
The trial of Stede Bonnet and his crew began on October 28th,
1718, at Charleston, and continued till[Pg 55]
November 12th, the Judge being Nicholas Trot. Bonnet was found
guilty and condemned to be hanged. Judge Trot made a speech of
overwhelming length to the condemned, full of Biblical
quotations, to each of which the learned magistrate gave chapter
and verse. In November, 1718, the gallant, if unfortunate, Major
was hanged at White Point, Charleston.
Apart from the unusual cause for his turning pirate, Bonnet is
interesting as being almost the only case known, otherwise than
in books of romance, of a pirate making his prisoners walk the
plank.
BONNY, Anne. Female pirate.
Anne was born in County Cork, and her father was an
Attorney-at-Law, who practised his profession in that city, her
mother being lady's maid to the attorney's lawful wife.
The story of the events which led to the existence of Anne may
be read in Johnson's "History of the Pyrates," where it is
recounted in a style quite suggestive of Fielding. In spite of
its sad deficiency in moral tone, the narrative is highly
diverting. But as this work is strictly confined to the history
of the pirates and not to the amorous intrigues of their
forbears, we will skip these pre-natal episodes and come to the
time when the attorney, having lost a once flourishing legal
practice, sailed from Ireland to Carolina to seek a fortune
there, taking his little daughter Anne with him. In new
surroundings fortune favoured the attorney, and he soon owned a
rich plantation, and his daughter kept house for him.
Anne was now grown up and a fine young woman, but had a
"fierce and courageous temper," which more than once led her into
scrapes, as, on one occasion, when in a sad fit of temper, she
slew her English servant-maid with a case-knife. But except for
these[Pg
56] occasional outbursts of passion she was a good and
dutiful girl. Her father now began to think of finding a suitable
young man to be a husband for Anne, which would not be hard to
do, since Anne, besides her good looks, was his heir and would be
well provided for by him. But Anne fell in love with a
good-looking young sailor who arrived one day at Charleston, and,
knowing her father would never consent to such a match, the
lovers were secretly married, in the expectation that, the deed
being done, the father would soon become reconciled to it. But on
the contrary, the attorney, on being told the news, turned his
daughter out of doors and would have nothing more to do with
either of them. The bridegroom, finding his heiress worth not a
groat, did what other sailors have done before and since, and
slipped away to sea without so much as saying good-bye to his
bride. But a more gallant lover soon hove in sight, the handsome,
rich, dare-devil pirate, Captain John Rackam, known up and down
the coast as "Calico Jack." Jack's methods of courting and taking
a ship were similar—no time wasted, straight up alongside,
every gun brought to play, and the prize seized. Anne was soon
swept off her feet by her picturesque and impetuous lover, and
consented to go to sea with him in his ship, but disguised
herself in sailor's clothes before going on board. The lovers
sailed together on a piratical honeymoon until certain news being
conveyed to Captain Rackam by his bride, he sailed to Cuba and
put Anne ashore at a small cove, where he had a house and also
friends, who he knew would take good care of her. But before long
Anne was back in the pirate ship, as active as any of her male
shipmates with cutlass and marlinspike, always one of the leaders
in boarding a prize.
However, the day of retribution was at hand. While cruising
near Jamaica in October, 1720, the[Pg 57] pirates were surprised
by the sudden arrival of an armed sloop, which had been sent out
by the Governor of that island for the express purpose of
capturing Rackam and his crew. A fight followed, in which the
pirates behaved in a most cowardly way, and were soon driven
below decks, all but Anne Bonny and another woman pirate, Mary
Read, who fought gallantly till taken prisoners, all the while
flaunting their male companions on their cowardly conduct. The
prisoners were carried to Jamaica and tried for piracy at St.
Jago de la Vega, and convicted on November 28th, 1720. Anne
pleaded to have her execution postponed for reasons of her
condition of health, and this was allowed, and she never appears
to have been hanged, though what her ultimate fate was is
unknown. On the day that her lover Rackam was hanged he obtained,
by special favour, permission to see Anne, but must have derived
little comfort from the farewell interview, for all he got in the
way of sympathy from his lady love were these words—that
"she was sorry to see him there, but if he had fought like a Man,
he need not have been hang'd like a Dog."
BOON, John.
Member of the Council of Carolina under Governor Colleton, and
expelled from it "for holding correspondence with pirates,"
1687.
BOOTH, Samuel.
Of Charleston, Carolina.
One of Major Bonnet's crew. Hanged at Charleston, South
Carolina, in 1718.
BOURNANO, Captain, or de Bernanos.
In 1679 this famous French filibuster commanded a ship of
ninety tons, armed with six guns, and manned[Pg 58] by a
crew of eighty-six French sailors. Joined Captain Bartholomew
Sharp when he was preparing his expedition to assault the town of
Santa Maria. Bournano was a useful ally, as he was much liked by
the Darien Indians, but his crew quarrelled with the English
buccaneers, and they left Sharp's company. In the year 1684,
Bournano, known by then as Le Sieur de Bernanos, commanded a
ship, La Schite, carrying a crew of sixty men and armed
with eight guns.
la BOUSE, Captain Oliver, or de la Bouche.
French pirate.
When Captain Howel Davis had taken and sacked the fort at
Gambia and with his crew was spending a day in revelry, a ship
was reported, bearing down on them in full sail. The pirates
prepared to fight her, when she ran up the Black Flag and proved
to be a French pirate ship of fourteen guns and sixty-four hands,
half French and half negroes, commanded by Captain La Bouse. A
great many civilities passed between the two captains, and they
agreed to sail down the coast together. Arriving at Sierra Leone,
they found a tall ship lying at anchor. This ship they attacked,
firing a broadside, when she also ran up the Black Flag, being
the vessel of the notorious Captain Cocklyn. For the next two
days the three captains and their crews "spent improving their
acquaintance and friendship," which was the pirate expression for
getting gloriously drunk. On the third day they attacked and took
the African Company's Fort. Shortly afterwards the three captains
quarrelled, and each went his own way. In 1718 La Bouse was at
New Providence Island. In 1720 this pirate commanded the
Indian Queen, 250 tons, armed with twenty-eight guns, and
a crew of ninety men. Sailing from the Guinea Coast to
the[Pg
59] East Indies, de la Bouche lost his ship on the
Island of Mayotta, near Madagascar.
The captain and forty men set about building a new vessel,
while the remainder went off in canoes to join Captain England's
pirates at Johanna.
BOWEN.
A Bristol man. In 1537, when the Breton pirates were becoming
very daring along the south coast of England and Wales, Bowen
contrived to capture fourteen of these robbers, who had landed
near Tenby, and had them put in prison.
BOWEN, Captain John.
The practice of this South Sea pirate extended from Madagascar
to Bengal. He commanded a good ship, the Speaker, a French
vessel, owned by an English company interested in the slave
trade, which Bowen had captured by a cunning ruse. He afterwards
lost his ship off Mauritius, but was well treated by the Dutch
Governor, who supplied doctors, medicine, and food to the
shipwrecked pirates. After three months' hospitality on the
island, Bowen procured a sloop, and in March, 1701, sailed for
Madagascar. As a parting friendly gift to the Governor, he gave
him 2,500 pieces of eight and the wreck of the Speaker,
with all the guns and stores. On arriving at Madagascar, Bowen
erected a fort and built a town. Shortly after this a ship, the
Speedy Return, and a brigantine were so very thoughtless
as to put into the port, and paid for this thoughtlessness by
being promptly seized by Bowen. With these two vessels Bowen and
his merry men went "a-pyrating" again, and with great success,
for in a short time they had gathered together over a million
dollars in coin, as well as vast quantities of valuable
merchandise. The pirates then, most wisely, considering that they
had[Pg
60] succeeded well enough, settled down amongst their
Dutch friends in the Island of Mauritius to a quiet and
comfortable life on shore.
BOWMAN, William.
A seaman; one of the party which crossed the Isthmus of Darien
on foot with Dampier in 1681. Wafer records that Bowman, "a
weakly Man, a Taylor by trade," slipped while crossing a swollen
river, and was carried off by the swift current, and nearly
drowned by the weight of a satchel he carried containing 400
pieces of eight.
BOYD, Robert.
Of Bath Town, North Carolina.
Sailed with Major Stede Bonnet in the Royal James.
Hanged on November 8th, 1718, at Charleston.
BOYZA.
A Columbian.
One of Captain Gilbert's crew in the Panda. Hanged at
Boston in June, 1835.
BRADISH, Captain Joseph.
A notorious pirate. Born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on
November 28th, 1672. In March, 1689, was in London out of a
berth, and shipped as mate in the hake-boat Adventure,
bound for Borneo on an interloping trade.
In September, 1698, when most of the officers and passengers
were ashore at the Island of Polonais, Bradish and the crew cut
the cable and ran away with the ship. The crew shared the money
which was found in the bread-room, and which filled nine chests,
amounting to about 3,700 Spanish dollars.
Bradish sailed the Adventure to Long
Island,[Pg
61] arriving there on March 19th, 1699. After leaving
their money and jewels on Nassau Island, they sank their ship.
Most of the crew bought horses at the neighbouring farmhouses and
disappeared. Bradish and a few others were rash enough to go to
Massachusetts, where they were promptly arrested and placed in
the Boston Gaol. But the gaolkeeper, one Caleb Ray, was a
relation of Bradish, and allowed him to escape. An offer of a
reward of £200 brought the escaped prisoner back, and he
sailed in irons on H.M.S. Advice, with Kidd and other
pirates, to England, and was hanged in chains in London at Hope
Dock in 1700.
BRADLEY, George.
Master of Captain Fenn's ship, the Morning Star,
wrecked on the Grand Caymans in August, 1722. The crew got ashore
on an island and hid in the woods. Bradley and the other pirates
afterwards surrendered themselves to an English sloop, and were
carried to Bermuda. Bradley escaped to England, and was last
heard of at Bristol.
BREAKES, Captain Hiram.
This Dutch pirate was the second son of a well-to-do
councillor of the Island of Saba in the West Indies. Hiram was
appointed in the year 1764 to a ship which traded between that
island and Amsterdam. In the latter port, Hiram, who was now 19
years of age and a handsome fellow standing over six feet in
height, fell in love with a certain Mrs. Snyde.
Getting command of a small ship that traded between Schiedam,
in Holland, and Lisbon, Breakes for some time sailed between
these ports. Returning to Amsterdam, he and Mrs. Snyde murdered
that lady's husband, but at the trial managed to get
acquitted.[Pg 62]
Breakes's next exploit was to steal his employer's ship and
cargo and go out as a pirate, naming his vessel the
Adventure. His first exploit was a daring one. Sailing
into Vigo Harbour in full view of the forts, he seized a vessel,
the Acapulco, lately come from Valparaiso, and took her
off. On plundering her they found 200,000 small bars of gold,
each about the size of a man's finger. The captain and crew of
this Chilian vessel were all murdered. Breakes preferred the
Acapulco to his own ship, so he fitted her up and sailed
in her to the Mediterranean.
Breakes was one of the religious variety of pirate, for after
six days of robbing and throat-slitting he would order his crew
to clean themselves on the Sabbath and gather on the
quarter-deck, where he would read prayers to them and would often
preach a sermon "after the Lutheran style," thus fortifying the
brave fellows for another week of toil and bloodshed.
Gifted with unlimited boldness, Breakes called in at Gibraltar
and requested the Governor to grant him a British privateer's
commission, which the Governor did "for a consideration." Sailing
in the neighbourhood of the Balearic Islands, he took a few
ships, when one day, spying a nunnery by the sea-shore in
Minorca, he proposed to his crew that they should fit themselves
out with a wife apiece.
This generous offer was eagerly accepted, and the crew, headed
by Captain Breakes, marched up to the nunnery unopposed, and were
welcomed at the door by the lady abbess. Having entered the
peaceful cloister, each pirate chose a nun and marched back to
the ship with their spoils. Soon after this Breakes decided to
retire from piracy, and returned to Amsterdam to claim Mrs.
Snyde. But he found that she had but lately been hanged for
poisoning her little son, of which the pirate was father. This
tragedy so preyed[Pg 63] upon the mind of Captain Breakes
that he turned "melancholy mad" and drowned himself in one of the
many dykes with which that city abounds.
BRECK, John.
One of the crew of the brigantine Charles (Captain John
Quelch). Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704.
BREHA, Captain, alias Landresson.
BRENNINGHAM, Captain.
Of Jamaica and Tortuga.
In 1663 commanded a frigate of six guns and seventy men.
BRIERLY, John, alias Timberhead.
Of Bath Town in North Carolina.
One of the crew of the Royal James. Hanged at
Charleston in November, 1718.
BRIGHT, John.
Of St. Margaret's, Westminster.
One of the crew of Captain Charles Harris. Hanged at Newport,
Rhode Island, in July, 1723, at the age of 25.
BRINKLEY, James.
Of Suffolk, England.
One of Captain Charles Harris's crew. Hanged for piracy at
Newport, Rhode Island, on July 19th, 1723. Age 28.
BRODLEY, Captain Joseph, or Bradley, sometimes called
"Lieutenant-Colonel." "An ancient and expert pirate."
Appointed Vice-Admiral by Morgan in his expedition up the
Chagre River. He was a tough old pirate,[Pg 64] and
had proved himself a terror to the Spaniards, particularly when
Mansvelt took the Isle of St. Catharine. In 1676 Brodley was sent
by Morgan to capture the Castle of Chagre, a very strongly
garrisoned fort. All day the pirates kept up a furious attack,
but were driven back. At last, when it seemed impossible for the
pirates ever to succeed in entering the castle, a remarkable
accident happened which altered the whole issue. One of the
pirates was wounded by an arrow in his back, which pierced his
body and came out the opposite side. This he instantly pulled out
at the side of his breast; then, taking a little cotton, he wound
it about the arrow, and, putting it into his musket, he shot it
back into the castle. The cotton, kindled by the powder, set fire
to several houses within the castle, which, being thatched with
palm-leaves, took fire very easily. This fire at last reached the
powder magazine, and a great explosion occurred. Owing to this
accident of the arrow the pirates were eventually able to take
the Castle of Chagre. This was one of the finest and bravest
defences ever made by the Spaniards. Out of 314 Spanish soldiers
in the castle, only thirty survived, all the rest, including the
Governor, being killed. Brodley was himself severely wounded in
this action and died as a consequence ten days later.
BROOKS, Joseph (senior).
One of Blackbeard's crew in the Queen Ann's Revenge.
Killed on November 22nd, 1718, at North Carolina.
BROOKS, Joseph (junior).
One of Blackbeard's crew in the Queen Ann's Revenge.
Taken prisoner by Lieutenant Maynard on November 22nd, 1718.
Carried to Virginia, where he was tried and hanged.[Pg 65]
BROWN, Captain.
A notorious latter-day pirate, who "worked" the east coast of
Central America in the early part of the nineteenth century.
BROWN, Captain.
On July 24th, 1702, sailed from Jamaica in command of the
Blessing—ten guns and crew of seventy-nine men, with
the famous Edward Davis on board—to attack the town of Tolu
on the Spanish Main. The town was taken and plundered, but Brown
was killed, being shot through the head.
BROWN, Captain Nicholas.
Surrendered to the King's pardon for pirates at New
Providence, Bahamas, in 1718. Soon afterwards he surrendered to
the Spanish Governor of Cuba, embraced the Catholic faith, and
turned pirate once more; and was very active in attacking English
ships off the Island of Jamaica.
BROWN, John.
Of Durham, England.
One of Captain Charles Harris's crew. Hanged at the age of 29
years at Newport, Rhode Island, in 1723.
BROWN, John.
Of Liverpool.
One of Captain Harris's crew. Found guilty of piracy at
Newport, Rhode Island, in 1723, but recommended to the King's
favour, perhaps in view of his age, being but 17 years old.
BROWNE, Captain James.
A Scotchman.
In 1677, when in command of a mixed crew of English, Dutch,
and French pirates, he took a Dutch[Pg 66] ship trading in negroes
off the coast of Cartagena. The Dutch captain and several of his
crew were killed, while the cargo of 150 negroes was landed in a
remote bay on the coast of Jamaica.
Lord Vaughan sent a frigate, which captured about a hundred of
the negro slaves and also Browne and eight of his pirate crew.
The captain and crew were tried for piracy and condemned. The
crew were pardoned, but Browne was ordered to be executed. The
captain appealed to the Assembly to have the benefit of the Act
of Privateers, and the House of Assembly twice sent a committee
to the Governor to beg a reprieve. Lord Vaughan refused this and
ordered the immediate execution of Browne. Half an hour after the
hanging the provost-marshal appeared with an order, signed by the
Speaker, to stop the execution.
BROWNE, Edward.
Of York River, Virginia.
One of Captain Pounds's crew. Wounded at Tarpaulin Cove in
1689.
BROWNE, John, alias Mamme.
An English sailor who joined the Barbary pirates at Algiers
and turned Mohammedan. Taken in the Exchange in 1622 and
carried a prisoner to Plymouth.
BROWNE, Richard. Surgeon.
Surgeon-General in Morgan's fleet which carried the buccaneers
to the Spanish Main. He wrote an account of the disastrous
explosion on board the Oxford during a banquet given to
Morgan and the buccaneer commanders on January 2nd, 1669, off Cow
Island to the south of Hispaniola, at which the details were
being discussed for an attack on Cartagena.[Pg 67]
Browne writes: "I was eating my dinner with the rest when the
mainmasts blew out and fell upon Captains Aylett and Bigford and
others and knocked them on the head. I saved myself by getting
astride the mizzenmast." Only Morgan and those who sat on his
side of the dinner-table were saved.
Browne, who certainly was not biased towards Morgan in his
accounts of his exploits, is one of the few narrators who gives
the buccaneer Admiral credit for moderation towards his
prisoners, particularly women.
BUCK, Eleazer.
One of Captain Pounds's crew. Tried at Boston in 1689 for
piracy and found guilty, but pardoned on payment of a fine of
twenty marks.
BUCKENHAM, Captain.
In 1679 sailed from England to the West Indies. He was taken
by the Spaniards off Campeachy and carried to Mexico. A seaman,
Russel, also a prisoner there, and who escaped afterwards,
reported to Lionel Wafer that he last saw Captain Buckenham with
a log chained to his leg and a basket on his back, crying bread
about the streets of the city of Mexico for his master, a
baker.
BULL, Captain Dixey.
Born in London of a respectable family, and in 1631 went to
Boston, where he received a grant of land at York on the coast of
Maine. Became a "trader for bever" in New England. In June, 1632,
while in Penobscot Bay, a French pinnace arrived and seized his
shallop and stock of "coats, ruggs, blanketts, bisketts, etc."
Annoyed by this high-handed behaviour, Bull collected together a
small[Pg
68] crew and turned pirate, thus being the very first
pirate on the New England coast. Bull took several small vessels,
and was not caught by the authorities, who sent out small armed
sloops to search for him, and nothing more was heard of this
pioneer pirate after 1633, although rumour said that he had
reached England in safety.
BULL, Mr.
A member of the crew of Coxon's canoe, he was killed in the
famous attack by the buccaneers on the Spanish Fleet off Panama
in 1680.
BULLOCK. Surgeon.
One of the crew at the second disastrous attack by Captain
Sharp on the town of Arica, when the buccaneers were driven out
of the town. All escaped who could, except the surgeons, who, in
a most unprofessional way, had been indulging somewhat freely in
the wines of the country during the battle, and consequently were
in no condition to take their places with the retreating force.
The surgeons, after being taken prisoner, were persuaded to
disclose to the Spaniards the prearranged signals by smoke from
two fires, which was to be given in case of a successful taking
of the town, to bring up the boats that were hiding on the shore,
ready to take the buccaneers back to their ships. Fortunately the
buccaneers on the shore arrived just as the canoes were getting
under way, otherwise the whole remnant of them would have
perished. The only one of these disreputable surgeons whose name
we know is Dr. Bullock. Some months afterwards it was
ascertained, through a prisoner, that the Spaniards "civilly
entertained these surgeons, more especially the women." Surgeons,
even such surgeons as these, were considered to be valuable in
those days in the out-of-the-way Spanish colonies.[Pg 69]
BUNCE, Charles.
Born at Exeter; died at the age of 26.
Taken by Captain Roberts out of a Dutch galley in 1721, he
joined the pirates, to be eventually hanged in 1722. He made a
moving speech from the gallows, "disclaiming against the guilded
Bates of Power, Liberty, and Wealth that had ensnared him amongst
the pirates," earnestly exhorting the spectators to remember his
youth, and ending by declaring that "he stood there as a beacon
upon a Rock" (the gallows standing on one) "to warn erring
Marriners of Danger."
BURDER, William.
Mayor of Dover.
It may seem strange to accuse the mayor of so important a
seaport as Dover of being a pirate, but it is difficult to see
how William Burder is to escape the accusation when we learn that
in the year 1563 he captured 600 French vessels and a large
number of neutral craft, which he plundered, and also no fewer
than sixty-one Spanish ships, to the very natural annoyance of
the King of Spain, whose country was at this time at peace with
England.
BURGESS, Captain Samuel South.
Born and bred in New York, he was a man of good education, and
began his career on a privateer in the West Indies. Later on he
was sent by a Mr. Philips, owner and shipbuilder, to trade with
the pirates in Madagascar. This business Burgess augmented with a
little piracy on his own account, and after taking several prizes
he returned to the West Indies, where he disposed of his loot. He
then proceeded to New York, and, purposely wrecking his vessel at
Sandy Hook, landed in the guise of an honest shipwrecked
mariner.[Pg
70]
Burgess settled down for a time to a well-earned rest, and
married a relative of his employer, Mr. Philips.
Philips sent him on two further voyages, both of which were
run on perfectly honest lines, and were most successful both to
owner and captain. But a later voyage had an unhappy ending.
After successfully trading with the pirates in Madagascar,
Burgess was returning home, carrying several pirates as
passengers, who were returning to settle in America, having made
their fortunes. The ship was captured off the Cape of Good Hope
by an East Indiaman, and taken to Madras. Here the captain and
passengers were put in irons and sent to England to be tried. The
case against Burgess fell through, and he was liberated. Instead
of at once getting away, he loitered about London until one
unlucky day he ran across an old pirate associate called
Culliford, on whose evidence Burgess was again arrested, tried,
and condemned to death, but pardoned at the last moment by the
Queen, through the intercession of the Bishop of London. After a
while he procured the post of mate in the Neptune, a
Scotch vessel, which was to go to Madagascar to trade liquors
with the pirates who had their headquarters in that delectable
island. On arrival at Madagascar a sudden hurricane swept down,
dismasted the Neptune, and sank two pirate ships. The
chief pirate, Halsey, as usual, proved himself a man of resource.
Seeing that without a ship his activities were severely
restricted, he promptly, with the help of his faithful and
willing crew, seized the Neptune, this satisfactory state
of affairs being largely facilitated by the knowledge that the
mate, Burgess, was all ripe to go on the main chance once more.
The first venture of this newly formed crew was most successful,
as they seized a ship, the Greyhound, which lay in the
bay, the owners[Pg 71] of which had but the previous day
bought—and paid for—a valuable loading of merchandise
from the pirates. This was now taken back by the pirates, who,
having refitted the Neptune, set forth seeking fresh
adventures and prizes. The further history of Burgess is one of
constant change and disappointment.
While serving under a Captain North, he was accused of
betraying some of his associates, and was robbed of all his
hard-earned savings. For several years after this he lived ashore
at a place in Madagascar called Methalage, until captured by some
Dutch rovers, who soon after were themselves taken by French
pirates. Burgess, with his former Dutch captain, was put ashore
at Johanna, where, under the former's expert knowledge, a ship
was built and sailed successfully to Youngoul, where Burgess got
a post as third mate on a ship bound to the West Indies. Before
sailing, Burgess was sent, on account of his knowledge of the
language, as ambassador to the local King. Burgess, unfortunately
for himself, had in the past said some rather unkind things about
this particular ruler, and the offended monarch, in revenge, gave
Burgess some poisoned liquor to drink, which quickly brought to
an end an active if chequered career.
BURGESS, Captain Thomas.
One of the pirates of the Bahama Islands who surrendered to
King George in 1718 and received the royal pardon. He was
afterwards drowned at sea.
BURK, Captain.
An Irishman, who committed many piracies on the coast of
Newfoundland. Drowned in the Atlantic during a hurricane in
1699.
CACHEMARÉE, Captain. French
filibuster.
Commanded the St. Joseph, of six guns and a crew of
seventy men. In 1684 had his headquarters at San Domingo.
CÆSAR.
A negro. One of Teach's crew hanged at Virginia in 1718.
Cæsar, who was much liked and trusted by Blackbeard, had
orders from him to blow up the Queen Ann's Revenge by
dropping a lighted match into the powder magazine in case the
ship was taken by Lieutenant Maynard. Cæsar attempted to
carry out his instructions, but was prevented from doing so by
two of the surrendered pirates.
CÆSAR, Captain.
One of Gasparilla's gang of pirates who hunted in the Gulf of
Mexico. His headquarters were on Sanibel Island.
CALLES, Captain John, or Callis.
A notorious Elizabethan pirate, whose activities were
concentrated on the coast of Wales.
We quote Captain John Smith, the founder of Virginia, who
writes: "This Ancient pirate Callis, who most refreshed himselfe
upon the Coast of Wales, who grew famous, till Queene Elizabeth
of Blessed Memory, hanged him at Wapping."
Calles did not die on the gallows without an attempt at
getting let off. He wrote a long and ingenious letter to Lord
Walsyngham, bewailing his former wicked life and promising, if
spared, to assist in ridding the coast of pirates by giving
particulars of "their roads, haunts, creeks, and maintainers."
One of the chief of these "maintainers," or receivers of stolen
property, was Lord O'Sullivan, or the Sulivan[Pg 73] Bere
of Berehaven. In spite of a long and very plausible plea for
pity, this "ancient and wicked pyrate" met his fate on the gibbet
at Wapping.
CAMMOCK, William.
A seaman under Captain Bartholomew Sharp. He died at sea on
December 14th, 1679, off the coast of Chile. "His disease was
occasioned by a sunfit, gained by too much drinking on shore at
La Serena; which produced in him a celenture, or malignant
fever and a hiccough." He was buried at sea with the usual
honours of "three French vollies."
CANDOR, Ralph.
Tried for piracy with the rest of Captain Lowther's crew at
St. Kitts in March, 1723, and acquitted.
CANNIS, alias Cannis Marcy.
A Dutch pirate who acted as interpreter to Captain Bartholomew
Sharp's South Sea Expedition. Captain Cox and Basil Ringmore took
him with them after the sacking of Hilo in 1679, to come to terms
with the Spanish cavalry over the ransoming of a sugar mill. On
Friday, May 27th, 1680, while ashore with a watering party in the
Gulf of Nicoya, the interpreter, having had, no doubt, his fill
of buccaneering, ran away.
CARACCIOLI, Signor, alias D'Aubigny.
An Italian renegade priest, who became an atheist, Socialist,
and revolutionist, and was living at Naples when Captain Fourbin
arrived there in the French man-of-war Victoire.
Caraccioli met and made great friends with a young French
apprentice in the ship, called Misson, and a place was found for
him on board. The ex-priest[Pg 74] proved himself to be a
brave man in several engagements with the Moors and with an
English warship, and was quickly promoted to be a petty
officer.
Caraccioli, by his eloquence, soon converted most of the crew
to believe in his theories, and when Captain Fourbin was killed
in an action off Martinique with an English ship, Misson took
command and appointed the Italian to be his Lieutenant, and
continued to fight the English ship to a finish. The victorious
crew then elected Misson to be their captain, and decided to "bid
defiance to all nations" and to settle on some out-of-the-way
island. Capturing another English ship off the Cape of Good Hope,
Caraccioli was put in command of her, and the whole of the
English crew voluntarily joined the pirates, and sailed to
Madagascar. Here they settled, and the Italian married the
daughter of a black Island King; an ideal republic was formed,
and our hero was appointed Secretary of State.
Eventually Caraccioli died fighting during a sudden attack
made on the settlement by a neighbouring tribe.
CARMAN, Thomas.
Of Maidstone in Kent.
Hanged at Charleston in 1718 with the rest of Major Bonnet's
crew.
CARNES, John.
One of Blackbeard's crew. Hanged at Virginia in 1718.
CARR, John.
A Massachusetts pirate, one of Hore's crew, who was hiding in
Rhode Island in 1699.[Pg 75]
CARTER, Dennis.
Tried for piracy in June, 1704, at the Star Tavern in Boston.
One of John Quelch's crew.
CARTER, John.
Captured by Major Sewall in the Larimore galley, and
brought into Salem. One of Captain Quelch's crew. Tried at Boston
in 1704.
CASTILLO.
A Columbian sailor in the schooner Panda. Hanged for
piracy at Boston on June 11th, 1835.
la CATA.
A most blood-thirsty pirate and one of the last of the West
Indian gangs.
In 1824, when La Cata was cruising off the Isle of Pines, his
ship was attacked by an English cutter only half his size. After
a furious fight the cutter was victorious, and returned in
triumph to Jamaica with the three survivors of the pirates as
prisoners. One of these was found out at the trial to be La Cata
himself. Hanged at Kingston, Jamaica.
CHANDLER, Henry, alias Rammetham Rise.
Born in Devonshire, his father kept a chandler's shop in
Southwark. An English renegado at Algiers, who had turned
Mohammedan and had become an overseer in the pirates' shipyards.
He was a man of some authority amongst the Moors, and in 1621 he
appointed a slave called Goodale to become master of one of the
pirate ships, the Exchange, in which one Rawlins also
sailed. Owing to the courage and ingenuity of the latter, the
European slaves afterwards seized the ship and brought her into
Plymouth; Chandler being thrown into gaol and afterwards
hanged.[Pg
76]
CHEESMAN, Edward.
Taken prisoner out of the Dolphin, on the Banks of
Newfoundland, by the Pirate Phillips in 1724. With the help of a
fisherman called Fillmore, he killed Phillips and ten other
pirates and brought the ship into Boston Harbour.
CHEVALLE, Daniel.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew. Tried for piracy at Boston
in 1704.
CHILD, Thomas.
In the year 1723, at the age of 15, he was tried for piracy at
Newport, Rhode Island. This child must have seen scores of
cold-blooded murders committed while he sailed with Low and
Harris. Found to be not guilty.
CHRISTIAN, Captain.
In 1702 the town of Tolu was sacked by Captain Brown of the
Blessing. Brown was killed, and Christian was elected to
be captain in his stead. Davis tells us that "Christian was an
old experienced soldier and privateer, very brave and just in all
his actions." He had lived for a long while amongst the Darien
Indians, with whom he was on very friendly terms.
CHULY, Daniel.
Tried for piracy at Boston, Massachusetts, in 1706.
CHURCH, Charles.
Of St. Margaret's, Westminster.
One of Captain Charles Harris's crew. Hanged on July 19th,
1723, at Newport, Rhode Island. Age[Pg 77]
CHURCH, Edward.
In 1830 he served in the brig Vineyard, from New
Orleans to Philadelphia. Took part in the mutiny which was
planned by the notorious pirate Charles Gibbs.
CHURCH, William.
Of the Gertrwycht of Holland.
At the trial at West Africa in 1722 of the crew of Bartholomew
Roberts's, four of the prisoners—W. Church, Phil. Haak,
James White, and Nicholas Brattle—were proved to have
"served as Musick on board the Royal Fortune, being taken
out of several merchant ships, having had an uneasy life of it,
having sometimes their Fiddles, and often their Heads broke, only
for excusing themselves, as saying they were tired, when any
Fellow took it in his Head to demand a Tune." Acquitted.
CHURCHILL, John.
One of Captain George Lowther's crew. Captured by the
Eagle sloop at the Island of Blanco, not far from
Tortuga.
Hanged on March 11th, 1722, at St. Kitts.
CLARKE, Jonathan.
Of Charleston, South Carolina.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Tried for piracy at
Charleston in 1718, and found to be not guilty.
CLARKE, Richard, alias Jafar.
A renegade English sailor, who turned "Turk"—that is,
became a Mohammedan—and was appointed chief gunner on one
of the Barbary pirate ships.[Pg 78] Captured in the
Exchange, and brought into Plymouth in 1622. He was
hanged.
CLARKE, Robert.
Governor of New Providence, Bahama Islands. Instead of trying
to stamp out the pirates, he did all he could to encourage them,
by granting letters of marque to such men as Coxon, to go
privateering, these letters being quite illegal. The proprietors
of the Bahama Islands turned Clarke out and appointed in his
place Robert Lilburne in 1682.
CLIFFORD, John.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew; tried at the Star Tavern at
Boston in 1704 for piracy. All the accused pleaded "Not guilty"
except Clifford and two others who turned Queen's evidence.
CLINTON, Captain.
One of the notorious sixteenth century pirates "who grew
famous until Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory, hanged them at
Wapping."
COBHAM, Captain.
Of Poole in Dorsetshire.
At the age of 18 he took to smuggling. His biographer tells us
that even at this comparatively early age Cobham "was cautious
and prudent, and though he intrigued with the ladies, he managed
to keep it secret." Cobham was very successful as a smuggler, on
one occasion landing a cargo of ten thousand gallons of brandy at
Poole. But a little later on his vessel was captured by a King's
cutter. This annoyed the young captain, and he bought a
cutter[Pg
79] at Bridport, mounted fourteen guns in her, and
turned pirate. Out of his very first prize, an Indiaman, which he
boarded off the Mersey, he took a sum of £40,000, and then
scuttled the ship and drowned the crew.
Cobham, calling in at Plymouth, met a damsel called Maria,
whom he took on board with him, which at first caused some
murmuring amongst his crew, who were jealous because they
themselves were not able to take lady companions with them on
their voyages, for, as the same biographer sagely remarks, "where
a man is married the case is altered, no man envies him his
happiness; but where he only keeps a girl, every man says, 'I
have as much right to one as he has.'" Nevertheless, Maria proved
herself a great success, for when any member of the crew was to
be punished Maria would use her influence with the captain to get
him excused or his punishment lessened, thus winning the
affection of all on board. The English Channel becoming too
dangerous for Cobham, he sailed across the Atlantic and lay in
wait for vessels between Cape Breton and Prince Edward Isle, and
took several prizes. In one of these he placed all the crew in
sacks and threw them into the sea. Maria, too, took her part in
these affairs, and once stabbed to the heart, with her own little
dirk, the captain of a Liverpool brig, the Lion, and on
another occasion, to indulge her whim, a captain and his two
mates were tied up to the windlass while Maria shot them with her
pistol. Maria always wore naval uniform, both at sea and when in
port; in fact, she entered thoroughly into the spirit of the
enterprise.
Cobham now wished to retire from the sea, but Maria urged him
to further efforts, as she had set her heart on his buying her a
beautiful place in England called Mapleton Hall, near Poole.
Maria's last act at sea was to poison the whole
crew[Pg
80] of an Indiaman, who were prisoners in irons aboard
the pirate ship.
Cobham having made a vast fortune, at last decided to settle
down, and he bought a large estate near Havre from the Duc de
Chartres. It was on the coast, and had a snug little harbour of
its own, where the retired pirate kept a small pleasure yacht in
which he and Maria used to go for fishing expeditions. One day,
when they were out on one of these picnics, a West India brig lay
becalmed near by, and Cobham and his crew went on board to visit
the captain of the merchant ship. But the temptation proved too
strong, and Cobham suddenly shooting the captain, Maria and the
yacht's crew quickly despatched the rest. Carrying the prize to
Bordeaux, he sold her for a good price. This was Cobham's last
act of piracy, and soon afterwards he was made a magistrate, and
presided at the county courts. Maria, it was thought, possibly
owing to remorse, poisoned herself with laudanum and died. Cobham
lived to a good old age, and eventually passed away, leaving many
descendants, who, a hundred years ago, "were moving in the first
grade at Havre."
COBHAM, Mrs. Maria.
A bloodthirsty and ambitious woman pirate, the wife of Captain
Cobham, late of Poole in Dorset.
COCKLYN, Captain Thomas.
In 1717 was in the Bahama Islands when Woodes Rogers arrived
at New Providence Island with King George's offer of pardon to
those pirates who came in and surrendered themselves. Cocklyn,
like many others, after surrendering, fell again into their
wicked ways, and ended by being hanged. Only a year after
receiving the royal pardon we hear of him being in[Pg 81]
company with Davis and La Bouse and several other notorious
pirates at Sierra Leone, when he was in command of a tall ship of
twenty-four guns.
Cocklyn ended his life on the gallows.
COFRECINA, Captain.
A notorious Spanish-American pirate who was very troublesome
in the South Atlantic in the early part of the last century.
Eventually captured by Midshipman Hull Foot of the U.S. Navy in
March, 1825, at St. Thomas Isle. Executed in Porto Rico by the
terrible Spanish method of the garotte.
COLE, Captain John.
Commander of the Eagle, alias the New York
Revenge's Revenge. Tried, condemned, and hanged in 1718 at
Charleston. His was a brilliant career while it lasted, but was
cut short after a brief and meteoric spell.
COLE, Samuel.
One of Captain Fly's crew. Tried and condemned for piracy at
Boston in 1726. On the way to the gallows the culprits were taken
to church, where they had to listen to a long sermon from Dr.
Colman, bringing home to the wretched creatures their dreadful
sins and their awful future.
COLLIER, Captain Edward.
Commanded the Oxford, a King's ship, which was sent
from England to Jamaica at the earnest request of Governor
Modyford, for a "nimble frigate," to help keep control over the
increasingly turbulent buccaneers. Collier's first act was to
seize a French man-of-war, a privateer called the Cour
Volent, of La Rochelle, commanded by M. la Vivon, his
excuse[Pg
82] being that the Frenchmen had robbed an English
vessel of provisions. Collier was appointed to be Morgan's
Vice-Admiral, and a few days later the Oxford was blown up
accidentally while a conference of buccaneer captains was taking
place.
In 1670, with six ships and 400 men, the buccaneers sailed for
the Spanish Main and sacked the city of Rio de la Hacha. Collier
led the left wing in the famous and successful attack on Panama
City with the rank of colonel.
Richard Brown reports that Collier could on occasions be very
cruel, and that he even executed a Spanish friar on the
battlefield after quarter had been given to the vanquished. On
their return to the coast after the sacking of Panama, Collier
was accused, with Morgan and the other commanders, of having
cheated the seamen of their fair share of the plunder, and of
deserting them, and then sailing off in the ships with the
supplies of food as well as the plunder.
COLLINS, Thomas.
This Madagascar pirate was a carpenter by trade, who had by
1716 retired from the sea and lived in splendour in that island.
Collins was made Governor of the pirate colony, and built a small
fort for its defence, which the pirates armed with the guns taken
out of their ship, which had by long use grown old and crazy, and
was of no further use to them.
COMRY, Adam.
Surgeon to the ship Elizabeth, taken by Captain
Bartholomew Roberts's squadron. Gave evidence at the trial of
George Wilson and another sea-surgeon, Scudamore, that the former
had borrowed from Comry a "clean shirt and drawers, for his
better appearance and reception." When visiting
Captain[Pg
83] Bartholomew Roberts's ship, Comry was forced to
serve as surgeon on board one of Roberts's vessels.
CONDENT, Captain, also Congdon or Conden.
Born at Plymouth in Devonshire.
Condent was quartermaster in a New York sloop, at the Island
of New Providence, when Governor Woodes Rogers arrived there in
1718. The captain of the sloop seems to have thought best to
leave rather than wait to welcome the new Governor. When only a
few days out, one of the crew, an Indian, who had been cruelly
treated, attempted, in revenge, to blow up the ship. This was
prevented by Condent, who with great courage leapt into the hold
and shot the Indian, but not before the latter had fired at him
and broken his arm. The crew, to show the relief they felt at
being saved from a sudden death, hacked to pieces the body of the
Indian, while the gunner, ripping open the dead man's belly, tore
out his heart, which he boiled and ate.
Turning their attention from cannibalism to piracy, the
pirates took a prize, the Duke of York, but disputes
arising, the captain and part of the crew sailed in the prize,
while Condent was elected captain of the sloop, and headed across
the Atlantic for the Cape Verde Islands, where he found the salt
fleet, of twenty small vessels, lying at anchor off the Island of
Mayo, all of which he took. Sailing next to the Island of St.
Jago, he took a Dutch ship. This proving a better ship than the
sloop, Condent transferred himself and crew into her, and named
her the Flying Dragon, presenting the sloop to the mate of
an English prize, who he had forced to go with him. From thence
Condent sailed away for the coast of Brazil, taking several
Portuguese ships which, after plundering, he let go. After
cleaning the Flying Dragon on Ferdinando Island, the
pirates took several more prizes,[Pg 84] and then one day met
with a Portuguese man-of-war of seventy guns. Coming up with her,
the Portuguese hailed the pirates, and they answered "from London
bound for Buenos Ayres." The man-of-war, to pay a compliment to
the ship of her English ally, manned the shrouds and cheered him,
and while this amicable demonstration of marine brotherly feeling
was taking place, Captain Condent came up alongside and suddenly
fired a broadside and a volley of small arms into the man-of-war,
and a smart engagement followed, in which the pirates were
worsted, and were lucky to escape.
Sailing away round the Cape of Good Hope, Condent arrived at
the pirate stronghold at the Island of Johanna, where he took on
board some of Captain Halsey's crew, and, reinforced by these
skilled masters in the craft of piracy, took several rich East
Indiamen off the Malabar coast.
Calling in at the Isle of St. Mary, one of the Mascerenas
group, he met with another Portuguese ship of seventy guns, which
he was fortunate enough to make a prize of. In this ship they
found amongst the passengers the Viceroy of Goa. Carrying this
rich prize to Zanzibar, they plundered her of a large amount of
money.
Having now gathered a vast fortune, they thought it time to
give up piracy, so they returned to the Island of St. Mary, where
they made a share of their plunder, and the company broke up,
many of them settling down amongst the natives. Captain Condent
and some others sent from here a petition to the Governor of
Mauritius asking for a pardon, and received answer that he would
take them into his protection if they would destroy their ships.
Having done this, they sailed to Mauritius, where they settled
down, and Captain Condent married the Governor's
sister-in-law.[Pg 85]
A few years later the captain and his wife left the island and
sailed to France, settling at St. Malo, where Condent drove a
considerable trade as a merchant.
COOK, Captain Edward, or Edmund.
Was on the Pacific coast with Captains Sharp and Sawkins,
1680. Being unable to keep order amongst his unruly crew, he
resigned his ship and command to Captain John Cox, a New
Englander. He commanded a barque in the successful sacking of
Porto Bello in the same year in company with Sharp, Coxon, and
others.
On land engagements his flag was a red one striped with
yellow, on which was a device of a hand and sword.
COOK, George, alias Ramedam.
An English renegade amongst the Barbary pirates of Algiers.
Was gunner's mate when captured in the Exchange in 1622.
Brought to Plymouth and hanged.
COOK, William.
Servant to Captain Edmund Cook, and was found, on being
searched, to have on him a paper with the names of all his fellow
pirates written on it, and was suspected of having prepared it to
give to some of the Spanish prisoners. For this, Captain Walters
put him in irons on January 7th, 1681.
He died on board ship on Monday, February 14th, 1681, off the
coast of Chile.
COOKE, Captain John.
This buccaneer was born in the Island of St. Christopher. "A
brisk, bold man," he was promoted to the rank of quartermaster by
Captain Yankey. On taking a Spanish ship, Cooke
claimed[Pg
86] the command of her, which he was entitled to, and
would have gone in her with an English crew had not the French
members of the crew, through jealousy, sacked the ship and
marooned the Englishmen on the Island of Avache. Cooke and his
men were rescued by another French buccaneer, Captain Tristram,
and taken to the Island of Dominica. Here the English managed to
get away with the ship, leaving Tristram and his Frenchmen behind
on land. Cooke, now with a ship of his own, took two French ships
loaded with wine. With this valuable cargo he steered northward,
and reached Virginia in April, 1683. He had no difficulty in
selling his wine for a good price to the New Englanders, and with
the profits prepared for a long voyage in his ship, the
Revenge. He took on board with him several famous
buccaneers, including Dampier and Cowley, the latter as sailing
master. They first sailed to Sierra Leone, then round the Horn to
the Island of Juan Fernandez. Here Cooke was taken ill. His next
stop was at the Galapagos Islands. Eventually Cooke died a mile
or two off the coast of Cape Blanco in Mexico. His body was rowed
ashore to be buried, accompanied by an armed guard of twelve
seamen. While his grave was being dug three Spanish Indians came
up, and asked so many questions as to rouse the suspicions of the
pirates, who seized them as spies, but one escaping, he raised
the whole countryside.
COOPER, Captain.
Commanded a pirate sloop, the Night Rambler. On
November 14th, 1725, he took the Perry galley (Captain
King, commander), three days out from Barbadoes, and the
following day a French sloop, and carried both prizes to a small
island called Aruba, near Curaçao, where they plundered
them and divided the spoil amongst the crew. The crews of the
two[Pg
87] prizes were kept on the island by Cooper for
seventeen days, and would have starved if the pirate's doctor had
not taken compassion on them and procured them food.
Upton, boatswain in the Perry, joined the pirates, and
was afterwards tried and hanged in England.
COOPER, Captain.
On October 19th, 1663, he brought into Port Royal, Jamaica,
two Spanish prizes, one the Maria of Seville, a royal
azogue carrying 1,000 quintals of quicksilver for the King of
Spain's mines in Mexico, besides oil, wine, and olives. Also a
number of prisoners were taken, including several friars on their
way to Campeachy and Vera Cruz. The buccaneers always rejoiced at
capturing a priest or a friar, and these holy men generally
experienced very rough treatment at the hands of the pirates.
Cooper's ship was a frigate of ten guns, and a crew of eighty
men.
CORBET, Captain.
Sailed with Captain Heidon from Bantry Bay in the John of
Sandwich in 1564 to search for a good prize in which he might
go a-pirating on his own account. The ship was wrecked on the
Island of Alderney, and all the crew arrested. Corbett and
several others escaped in a small boat.
CORNELIUS, Captain.
A contemporary of Howard Burgess North and other Madagascar
pirates.
de COSSEY, Stephen James.
With three other pirates was tried and convicted in June,
1717, before the Vice-Admiralty Court at[Pg 88]
Charleston. The President of the Court was Judge Trot, a terror
to all pirates, as he never failed to hang a guilty one. De
Cossey and the other prisoners were found guilty of piratically
taking the vessels Turtle Dove, Penelope, and the
Virgin Queen.
COWARD, William.
In November, 1689, with three men and a boy he rowed out to
the ketch Elinor (William Shortrigs, master), lying at
anchor in Boston Harbour, and seized the vessel and took her to
Cape Cod. The crew of the ketch could make no resistance as they
were all down with the smallpox. The pirates were caught and
locked up in the new stone gaol in Boston. Hanged on January
27th, 1690.
COWLEY, Captain C.
M.A. Cantab.
A man of high intelligence and an able navigator. In the year
1683 he sailed from Achamach or Cape Charles in Virginia for
Dominica as sailing master of a privateer, the Revenge
(eight guns and fifty-two men), in company with Dampier and
Captain John Cooke. As soon as they were away from the land, they
turned buccaneers or pirates, and sailed to Sierra Leone in West
Africa. Thence to the coast of Brazil, round the Horn, where
Cowley mentions that owing to the intense cold weather the crew
were able, each man, to drink three quarts of burnt brandy a day
without becoming drunk.
On February 14th the buccaneers were abreast of Cape Horn, and
in his diary Cowley writes: "We were choosing valentines and
discoursing on the Intrigues of Woman, when there arose a
prodigious storm," which lasted till the end of the month,
driving them farther south than any ship had ever been
before;[Pg
89] "so that we concluded the discoursing of Women at
sea was very unlucky and occasioned the storm." Cowley, who was
addicted to giving new names to islands, not only named one Pepys
Island, but when he arrived at the Galapagos Islands, he
rechristened them most thoroughly, naming one King Charles
Island, while others he named after the Dukes of York, Norfolk,
and Albemarle, and Sir John Narborough. Feeling, no doubt, that
he had done enough to honour the great, and perhaps to have
insured himself against any future trouble with the authorities
when he returned home, he named one small island "Cowley's
Enchanted Isle."
The Earl of Alington, Lord Culpepper, Lord Wenman, all had
islands in this group christened with their names and titles.
In September, 1684, Cowley, now in the Nicholas,
separated from Davis, and sailed from Ampalla for San Francisco,
and then started west to cross the Pacific Ocean. On March 14th,
1685, at seven o'clock in the morning, after a voyage of 7,646
miles, land was at last seen, which proved to be the Island of
Guan.
The Spanish Governor was most friendly to the visitors, and
when complaint was made to him that the buccaneers had killed
some of his Indian subjects he "gave us a Toleration to kill them
all if we would." Presents were exchanged, Cowley giving the
Governor a valuable diamond ring, one, no doubt, taken off the
hand of some other loyal subject of the King of Spain. Here the
pirates committed several atrocious cruelties on the Indians, who
wished to be friends with the foreigners.
In April they arrived at Canton to refit, and while there,
thirteen Tartar ships arrived laden with Chinese merchandise,
chiefly valuable silks. Cowley wanted to attack and plunder them,
but his crew refused to[Pg 90] do so, saying "they came for gold
and silver, and not to be made pedlars, to carry packs on their
backs," to Cowley's disgust, for he complains, "had Reason but
ruled them, we might all have made our Fortunes and have done no
Christian Prince nor their subjects any harm at all." Thence they
sailed to Borneo, the animals and birds of which island Cowley
describes. Sailing next to Timor, the crew mutinied, and Cowley
and eighteen others bought a boat and sailed in her to Java, some
300 leagues. Here they heard of the death of King Charles II.,
which caused Cowley to get out his map of the Galapagos Islands,
and to change the name of Duke of York Island to King James
Island. At Batavia Cowley procured a passage in a Dutch ship to
Cape Town. In June, 1686, he sailed for Holland after much health
drinking and salutes of 300 guns, arriving in that country in
September, and reaching London, "through the infinite Mercy of
God," on October 12th, 1686.
COX, Captain John. Buccaneer.
Born in New England, and considered by some of his fellow
buccaneers "to have forced kindred upon Captain Sharp"—the
leader of the fleet—"out of old acquaintance, only to
advance himself." Thus he was made Vice-Admiral to Captain Sharp,
in place of Captain Cook, whose crew had mutinied and refused to
sail any longer under his command. Cox began his captaincy by
getting lost, but after a fortnight rejoined the fleet off the
Island of Plate, on the coast of Peru, "to the great joy of us
all." This island received its name from the fact that Sir
Francis Drake had here made a division of his spoils,
distributing to each man of his company sixteen bowlfuls of
doubloons and pieces of eight. The buccaneers rechristened it
Drake's Island.
Cox took part in the attack on the town of Hilo[Pg 91] in
October, 1679, sacked the town and burnt down the large sugar
factory outside. He led a mutiny against his relative and
benefactor, Captain Sharp, on New Year's Day, 1681, being the
"main promoter of their design" to turn him out. Sharp afterwards
described his old friend as a "true-hearted dissembling
New-England Man," who he had promoted captain "merely for old
acquaintance-sake."
COXON, Captain John. Buccaneer.
One of the most famous of the "Brethren of the Coast."
In the spring of 1677, in company of other English buccaneers,
he surprised and plundered the town of Santa Marta on the Spanish
Main, carrying away the Governor and the Bishop to Jamaica.
In 1679 Coxon, with Sharp and others, was fitting out an
expedition in Jamaica to make a raid in the Gulf of Honduras,
which proved very successful, as they brought back 500 chests of
indigo, besides cocoa, cochineal, tortoiseshell, money, and
plate.
Coxon was soon out again upon a much bolder design, for in
December, 1679, he met Sharp, Essex, Allinson, Row, and other
buccaneer chiefs at Point Morant, and in January set sail for
Porto Bello. Landing some twenty leagues from the town, they
marched for four days, arriving in sight of the town on February
17th, "many of them being weak, being three days without any
food, and their feet cut with the rocks for want of shoes." They
quickly took and plundered the town, hurrying off with their
spoils before the arrival of strong Spanish reinforcements. The
share of each man in this enterprise came to one hundred pieces
of eight. A warrant was issued by Lord Carlisle, the Governor of
Jamaica, for the apprehension of Coxon for plundering Porto
Bello, and another was issued soon after by Morgan, when acting
as Governor, but[Pg 92] nothing seems to have resulted from
these. Sailing north to Boca del Toro, they careened their ships,
and were joined by Sawkins and Harris. From this place the
buccaneers began, in April, 1680, to land and cross the Isthmus
of Darien, taking the town of Santa Maria on the way. Quarrels
took place between Coxon, who was, no doubt, a hot-tempered man,
and Harris, which led to blows. Coxon was also jealous of the
popular young Captain Sawkins, and refused to go further unless
he was allowed to lead one of the companies. After sacking the
town of Santa Maria, the adventurers proceeded in canoes down the
river to the Pacific. Seizing two small vessels they found there,
and accompanied by a flotilla of canoes, they steered for Panama,
and, with the utmost daring, attacked, and eventually took, the
Spanish fleet of men-of-war—one of the most remarkable
achievements in the history of the buccaneers.
Coxon now quarrelled again with his brother leaders, and began
a march back across the isthmus; his party of seventy malcontents
including Dampier and Wafer, who each published accounts of their
journey. By 1682 Coxon seems to have so ingratiated himself with
the Jamaican authorities as to be sent in quest of a troublesome
French pirate, Jean Hamlin, who was playing havoc with the
English shipping in his vessel, La Trompeuse.
Later in the same year Coxon procured letters of marque from
Robert Clarke, the Governor of New Providence Island, himself
nothing better than a pirate, to go cruising as a "privateer."
Coxon was continually being arrested and tried for piracy, but
each time he managed to escape the gallows. We do not know the
name of the ship Coxon commanded at this date, but it was a
vessel of eighty tons, armed with eight guns, and carrying a crew
of ninety-seven men.[Pg 93]
COYLE, Captain Richard.
Born at Exeter in Devonshire.
An honest seafaring man until, when sailing as mate with
Captain Benjamin Hartley, they arrived at Ancona with a cargo of
pilchards. Here the captain took on board a new carpenter, called
Richardson, who soon became a close friend of the mate's. These
two brought about a mutiny, attacked the captain, and threw him,
still alive, over the side to drown. Coyle was elected captain,
and they sailed as pirates, in which capacity they were a
disgrace to an ancient calling. After a visit to Minorca, which
ended with ignominy, they sailed to Tunis, where Coyle told such
a plausible yarn as to deceive the Governor into believing that
he had been the master of a vessel lost in a storm off the coast
of Sardinia. The pirates were supplied with money by the British
Consul in Tunis; but Coyle, while in his cups, talked too freely,
so that the true story of his doings got to the Consul's ears,
who had him arrested and sent to London to be lodged in the
Marshalsea Prison. Tried at the Old Bailey, he was sentenced to
death, and was hanged at Execution Dock on January 25th,
1738.
CRACKERS, Captain.
A retired pirate who settled at Sierra Leone, and was living
there in 1721. He had been famous in his day, having robbed and
plundered many a ship. He owned the best house in the settlement,
and was distinguished by having three cannons placed before his
door, which he was accustomed to fire salutes from whenever a
pirate ship arrived or left the port. He was the soul of
hospitality and good fellowship, and kept open-house for all
pirates, buccaneers, and privateersmen.[Pg 94]
CRISS, Captain John, alias "Jack the Bachelor."
A native of Lorne in the North of Ireland.
His father was a fisherman, and little Jack used to go out
with him, and then help him sell his fish at Londonderry. The lad
grew up into a bold and handsome young fellow, "and many a girl
cocked cap at him and he had great success amongst the ladies,
and intrigued with every woman that gave him any
encouragement."
Tiring of the monotony and low profits of a fisherman's
calling, Jack turned smuggler, carrying cargoes of contraband
goods from Guernsey to Ireland. Making a tidy sum at this, he
bought himself a French galliot, and sailing from Cork, he began
to take vessels off the coast of France, selling them at
Cherbourg. The young pirate took no risks of information leaking
out, for he drowned all his prisoners. Cruising in the
Mediterranean, Criss met with his usual success, and, not content
with taking ships, he plundered the seaport of Amalfi on the
coast of Calabria. Calling at Naples, Criss put up at the
Ferdinand Hotel, where one morning he was found dead in his bed.
It was discovered afterwards that, in spite of his nickname, he
was married to three wives.
CULLEN, Andrew.
Of Cork in Ireland.
Brother of Pierce Cullen. One of the crew of Captain Roche's
ship. After the crew had mutinied and turned pirate he posed as
the supercargo.
CULLEN, Pierce.
Of Cork in Ireland.
One of Captain Philip Roche's gang.[Pg 95]
CULLIFORD, Captain, of the Mocha.
A Madagascar pirate.
Little is known of him except that one day in the streets of
London he recognized and denounced another pirate called
Burgess.
CUMBERLAND, George, Third Earl of, 1558-1605.
M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge.
After taking his degree at Cambridge he migrated to Oxford for
the purpose of studying geography.
So many books have been written about this picturesque and
daring adventurer that it is not necessary to do more than
mention his name here, as being perhaps the finest example of a
buccaneer that ever sacked a Spanish town.
He led twelve voyages to the Spanish Main, fitting them out at
his own expense, and encountering the same dangers and hardships
as his meanest seaman.
He married in 1577 at the age of nineteen, and sailed on his
first voyage in 1586. Cumberland was greatly esteemed by Queen
Elizabeth, and always wore in his hat a glove which she had given
him.
There is sufficient evidence to show that the Earl was not
prompted to spend his life and fortune on buccaneering voyages
merely by greed of plunder, but was chiefly inspired by intense
love of his country, loyalty to his Queen, and bitter hatred of
the Spaniards.
CUNNINGHAM, Captain William.
Had his headquarters at New Providence Island, in the Bahamas.
Refused the royal offer of pardon to the pirates in 1717, and was
later caught and hanged.
CUNNINGHAM, Patrick.
Found guilty at Newport in 1723, but reprieved.[Pg 96]
CURTICE, Joseph.
One of Captain Teach's crew in the Queen Ann's Revenge.
Killed on November 22nd, 1718, off the coast of North
Carolina.
DAMPIER, Captain William. Buccaneer, explorer, and
naturalist.
Born at East Coker in the year 1652.
Brought up at first to be a shopkeeper, a life he detested, he
was in 1669 apprenticed to a ship belonging to Weymouth, and his
first voyage was to France. In the same year he sailed to
Newfoundland, but finding the bitter cold unbearable, he returned
to England. His next voyage, which he called "a warm one," was to
the East Indies, in the John and Martha, and suited him
better.
Many books have been written recounting the voyages of
Dampier, but none of these are better reading than his own
narrative, published by James and John Knapton in London. This
popular book ran into many editions, the best being the fourth,
published in 1729, in four volumes. These volumes are profusely
illustrated by maps and rough charts, and also with crude cuts,
which are intended to portray the more interesting and strange
animals, birds, fishes, and insects met with in his voyages round
the globe.
In 1673 Dampier enlisted as a seaman in the Royal
Prince, commanded by the famous Sir Edward Spragge, and
fought in the Dutch war.
A year later he sailed to Jamaica in the Content, to
take up a post as manager of a plantation belonging to a Colonel
Hellier. His restless spirit soon revolted against this humdrum
life on a plantation, and Dampier again went to sea, sailing in a
small trading vessel amongst the islands.[Pg 97]
Dampier's first step towards buccaneering was taken when he
shipped himself on a small ketch which was sailing from Port
Royal to load logwood at the Bay of Campeachy. This was an
illegal business, as the Spanish Government claimed the ownership
of all that coast, and did their best to prevent the trade.
Dampier found some 250 Englishmen engaged in cutting the wood,
which they exchanged for rum. Most of these men were buccaneers
or privateers, who made a living in this way when out of a job
afloat. When a ship came into the coast, these men would think
nothing of coming aboard and spending thirty and forty pounds on
rum and punch at a single drinking bout.
Dampier returned afterwards to take up logwood cutting
himself, but met with little success, and went off to Beef
Island. He had by this time begun to take down notes of all that
appeared to him of interest, particularly objects of natural
history. For example, he described, in his own quaint style, an
animal he found in this island.
"The Squash is a four-footed Beast, bigger than a Cat. Its
Head is much like a Foxes, with short Ears and a long Nose. It
has pretty short Legs and sharp Claws, by which it will run up
trees like a Cat. The flesh is good, sweet, wholesome Meat. We
commonly skin and roast it; and then we call it pig; and I think
it eats as well. It feeds on nothing but good Fruit; therefore we
find them most among the Sapadillo-Trees. This Creature never
rambles very far, and being taken young, will become as tame as a
Dog, and be as roguish as a Monkey."
Dampier's first act of actual piracy was when he joined in an
attack on the Spanish fort of Alvarado, but although the fort was
taken, the townspeople had time to escape with all their
valuables before the pirates could reach them. Returning to
England in[Pg 98] 1678, he did not remain long at
home, for in the beginning of 1679 he sailed for Jamaica in a
vessel named the Loyal Merchant. Shortly after reaching
the West Indies, he chanced to meet with several well-known
buccaneers, including Captains Coxon, Sawkins, and Sharp. Joining
with these, he sailed on March 25th, 1679, for the Province of
Darien, "to pillage and plunder these parts." Dampier says
strangely little about his adventures for the next two years, but
a full description of them is given by Ringrose in his "Dangerous
Voyage and Bold Adventures of Captain Sharp and Others in the
South Sea," published as an addition to the "History of the
Buccaneers of America" in 1684.
This narrative tells how the buccaneers crossed the isthmus
and attacked and defeated the Spanish Fleet off Panama City.
After the death of their leader, Sawkins, the party split up, and
Dampier followed Captain Sharp on his "dangerous and bold voyage"
in May, 1680.
In April, 1681, after various adventures up and down the coast
of Peru and Chile, further quarrels arose amongst the buccaneers,
and a party of malcontents, of which number Dampier was one, went
off on their own account in a launch and two canoes from the
Island of Plate, made famous by Drake, and landed on the mainland
near Cape San Lorenzo. The march across the Isthmus of Darien has
been amusingly recounted by the surgeon of the party, Lionel
Wafer, in his book entitled "A New Voyage and Description of the
Isthmus of America," published in London in 1699.
A PAGE FROM THE LOG-BOOK OF CAPTAIN
DAMPIER.
On reaching the Atlantic, Dampier found some buccaneer ships
and joined them, arriving at Virginia in July, 1682. In this
country he resided for a year, but tells little about it beyond
hinting that great troubles befell him. In April, 1683, he joined
a privateer vessel, the Revenge, but directly she was out
of sight of land the crew turned pirates, which had been their
intention all along.[Pg 99] Two good narratives have been
written of this voyage, one by Dampier, and the other by Cowley,
the sailing-master. This venture ended in the famous
circumnavigation of the world, and Dampier described every object
of interest he met with, including the country and natives of the
north coast of Australia, which had never been visited before by
Europeans. Dampier must have found it very difficult to keep his
journal so carefully and regularly, particularly in his early
voyages, when he was merely a seaman before the mast or a petty
officer. He tells us that he carried about with him a long piece
of hollow bamboo, in which he placed his manuscript for safe
keeping, waxing the ends to keep out the sea water.
After almost endless adventures and hardships, he arrived back
in England in September, 1691, after a voyage of eight years, and
an absence from England of twelve, without a penny piece in his
pocket, nor any other property except his unfortunate friend
Prince Jeoly, whom he sold on his arrival in the Thames, to
supply his own immediate wants. Dampier's next voyage was in the
year 1699, when he was appointed to command H.M.S.
Roebuck, of twelve guns and a crew of fifty men and boys,
and victualled for twenty months' cruise. The object of this
voyage was to explore and map the new continent to the south of
the East Indies which Dampier had discovered on his previous
voyage. Had he in this next voyage taken the westward course, as
he originally intended, and sailed to Australia round the Horn,
it is possible that Dampier would have made many of the
discoveries for which James Cook afterwards became so famous, and
by striking the east coast of Australia would very likely have
antedated the civilisation of[Pg 100] that continent by
fifty years. But he was persuaded, partly by his timid crew, and
perhaps in some measure by his own dislike of cold temperatures,
to sail by the eastward route and to double the Cape of Good
Hope. The story of this voyage is given by Dampier in his book,
published in 1709, "A Voyage to New Holland, etc., in the Year
1699."
After spending some unprofitable weeks on the north coast of
Australia, failing to find water or to make friends with the
aboriginals, scurvy broke out amongst his somewhat mutinous crew,
and he sailed to New Guinea, the coast of which he saw on New
Year's Day, 1700.
By this time the Roebuck was falling to pieces, her
wood rotten, her hull covered with barnacles. Eventually, using
the pumps day and night, they arrived, on February 21st, 1701, at
Ascension Island, where the old ship sank at her anchors. Getting
ashore with their belongings, they waited on this desolate island
until April 3rd, when four ships arrived, three of them English
men-of-war.
I was told, only the other day, by a friend who lives in the
Island of St. Helena, and whose duties take him at least once
each year to Ascension Island, that a story still survives
amongst the inhabitants of these islands that there is hidden
somewhere in the sandhills a treasure, which Dampier is believed
to have put there for safe keeping, but for some reason never
removed. But poor Dampier never came by a treasure in this or any
other of his voyages, and though the legend is a pleasant one, it
is a legend and nothing more. Dampier went on board one of the
men-of-war, the Anglesea, with thirty-five of his crew.
Taken to Barbadoes, he there procured a berth in another vessel,
the Canterbury, in which he sailed to England.
Dampier had now made so great a name for himself[Pg 101] by
his two voyages round the globe that he was granted a commission
by Prince George of Denmark to sail as a privateer in the St.
George, to prey on French and Spanish ships, the terms being:
"No purchase, no pay." Sailing as his consort was the Cinque
Ports, whose master was Alexander Selkirk, the original of
Robinson Crusoe. This voyage, fully recounted in Dampier's book,
is a long tale of adventure, hardship, and disaster, and the
explorer eventually returned to England a beggar. However, his
travels made a great stir, and he was allowed to kiss the Queen's
hand and to have the honour of relating his adventures to
her.
Dampier's last voyage was in the capacity of pilot or
navigating officer to Captain Woodes Rogers in the Duke,
which sailed with another Bristol privateer, the Duchess,
in 1708. The interesting narrative of this successful voyage is
told by Rogers in his book, "A Cruising Voyage Round the World,"
etc., published in 1712. Another account was written by the
captain of the Duchess, Edward Cooke, and published in the
same year. This last voyage round the world ended at Erith on
October 14th, 1711, and was the only one in which Dampier
returned with any profit other than to his reputation as an
explorer and navigator.
Dampier was now fifty-nine years of age, and apparently never
went to sea again. In fact, he henceforth disappears from the
stage altogether, and is supposed to have died in Colman Street
in London, in the year 1715. Of Dampier's early life in England
little is known, except that he owned, at one time, a small
estate in Somersetshire, and that in 1678 he married "a young
woman out of the family of the Duchess of Grafton." There is an
interesting picture of Dampier in the National Portrait Gallery,
painted by T. Murray, and I take this opportunity to
thank[Pg
102] the directors for their kind permission to
reproduce this portrait.
One other book Dampier wrote, called a "Discourse of Winds,"
an interesting work, and one which added to the author's
reputation as a hydrographer. There is little doubt that Defoe
was inspired by the experiences and writings of Dampier, not only
in his greatest work, "Robinson Crusoe," but also in "Captain
Singleton," "Colonel Jack," "A New Voyage Round the World," and
many of the maritime incidents in "Roxana" and "Moll
Flanders."
DAN, Joseph.
One of Avery's crew. Turned King's witness at his trial in
1696, and was not hanged.
DANIEL, Captain. A French filibuster.
The name of this bloodthirsty pirate will go down to fame as
well as notoriety by his habit of combining piracy with strict
Church discipline. Harling recounts an example of this as
follows, the original account of the affair being written by a
priest, M. Labat, who seems to have had rather a weak spot in his
heart for the buccaneer fraternity:
"Captain Daniel, in need of provisions, anchored one night off
one of the 'Saintes,' small islands near Dominica, and landing
without opposition, took possession of the house of the
curé and of some other inhabitants of the neighbourhood.
He carried the curé and his people on board his ship
without offering them the least violence, and told them that he
merely wished to buy some wine, brandy and fowls. While these
were being gathered, Daniel requested the curé to
celebrate Mass, which the poor priest dared not refuse. So the
necessary sacred vessels were sent for and an altar improvised on
the deck for the service, which they chanted to the best of their
ability. As at[Pg 103] Martinique, the Mass was begun by
a discharge of artillery, and after the Exaudiat and prayer for
the King, was closed by a loud 'Vive la Roi!' from the throats of
the buccaneers. A single incident, however, somewhat disturbed
the devotions. One of the buccaneers, remaining in an indecent
attitude during the Elevation, was rebuked by the captain, and
instead of heeding the correction, replied with an impertinence
and a fearful oath. Quick as a flash Daniel whipped out his
pistol and shot the buccaneer through the head, adjuring God that
he would do as much to the first who failed in his respect to the
Holy Sacrifice. The shot was fired close by the priest, who, as
we can readily imagine, was considerably agitated. 'Do not be
troubled, my father,' said Daniel; 'he is a rascal lacking in his
duty and I have punished him to teach him better.'" A very
efficacious means, remarks Labat, of preventing his falling into
another like mistake. After the Mass the body of the dead man was
thrown into the sea, and the curé was recompensed for his
pains by some goods out of their stock and the present of a negro
slave.
DANIEL, Stephen.
One of Captain Teach's crew. Hanged for piracy in Virginia in
1718.
DANSKER, Captain.
A Dutch pirate who cruised in the Mediterranean in the
sixteenth century, using the North African coast as his base. He
joined the Moors and turned Mohammedan. In 1671 Admiral Sir
Edward Spragge was with a fleet at Bougie Bay, near Algiers,
where, after a sharp fight, he burnt and destroyed a big fleet of
the Moorish pirates, amongst those killed being the renegade
Dansker.[Pg 104]
DARBY, John.
A Marblehead fisherman, one of the crew of the ketch
Mary, of Salem, captured by Captain Pound. He joined the
pirates, and was killed at Tarpaulin Cove.
DAVIS, Captain Edward. Buccaneer and pirate.
Flourished from 1683-1702. According to Esquemiling, who knew
Davis personally, his name was John, but some authorities call
him Edward, the name he is given in the "Dictionary of National
Biography."
In 1683 Davis was quartermaster to Captain Cook when he took
the ship of Captain Tristian, a French buccaneer, of Petit Guave
in the West Indies. Sailed north to cruise off the coast of
Virginia. From there he sailed across the Atlantic to West
Africa, and at Sierra Leone came upon a Danish ship of thirty-six
guns, which he attacked and took. The pirates shifted their crew
into this ship, christening her the Bachelor's Delight,
and sailed for Juan Fernandez in the South Pacific, arriving
there in March, 1684. Here they met with Captain Brown, in the
Nicholas, and together sailed to the Galapagos Islands.
About this time Captain Cook died, and Davis was elected captain
in his place. Cruising along the coasts of Chile and Peru, they
sacked towns and captured Spanish ships. On November 3rd Davis
landed, and burnt the town of Paita. Their principal plan was to
waylay the Spanish Fleet on its voyage to Panama. This fleet
arrived off the Bay of Panama on May 28th, 1685, but the
buccaneers were beaten and were lucky to escape with their lives.
At the Gulf of Ampalla, Davis had to put his sick on shore, as
spotted fever raged amongst the crew. Davis then cruised for a
while with the buccaneer Knight, sacking several
towns.[Pg
105]
Deciding to return to the West Indies with their plunder,
several of the crew, who had lost all their share by gambling,
were left, at their own request, on the Island of Juan Fernandez.
Davis then sailed round the Horn, arriving safely at Jamaica with
a booty of more than 50,000 pieces of eight, besides quantities
of plate and jewels.
At Port Royal, after he had accepted the offer of pardon of
King James II., Davis sailed to Virginia and settled down at
Point Comfort. We hear no more of him for the next fourteen
years, until July 24th, 1702, when he sailed from Jamaica in the
Blessing (Captain Brown; twenty guns, seventy-nine men),
to attack the town of Tolu on the Spanish Main, which was
plundered and burnt. Davis next sailed to the Samballoes, and,
guided by the Indians, who were friendly to the buccaneers, but
hated the Spaniards, they attacked the gold-mines, where, in
spite of most cruel tortures, they got but little gold. The crew
next attacked Porto Bello, but found little worth stealing in
that much harassed town.
Davis is chiefly remarkable for having commanded his gang of
ruffians in the Pacific for nearly four years. To do this he must
have been a man of extraordinary personality and bravery, for no
other buccaneer or pirate captain ever remained in uninterrupted
power for so long a while, with the exception of Captain
Bartholomew Roberts.
DAVIS, Captain Howel.
This Welsh pirate was born at Milford in Monmouthshire. He
went to sea as a boy, and eventually sailed as chief mate in the
Cadogan snow, of Bristol, to the Guinea Coast. His ship
was taken off Sierra Leone by the pirate England, and the captain
murdered. Davis turned pirate, and was given command of this old
vessel, the Cadogan, in which to go "on[Pg 106]
the account." But the crew refused to turn pirate, and sailed the
ship to Barbadoes, and there handed Davis over to the Governor,
who imprisoned him for three months and then liberated him. As no
one on the island would offer him employment, Davis went to New
Providence Island, the stronghold of the West India pirates.
Arrived there, he found that Captain Woodes Rogers had only
lately come from England with an offer of a royal pardon, which
most of the pirates had availed themselves of. Davis got
employment under the Governor, on board the sloop, the
Buck, to trade goods with the French and Spanish
settlements. The crew was composed of the very recently reformed
pirates, and no sooner was the sloop out of sight of land than
they mutinied and seized the vessel, Davis being voted captain,
on which occasion, over a bowl of punch in the great cabin, the
new captain made an eloquent speech, finishing by declaring war
against the whole world. Davis proved himself an enterprising and
successful pirate chief, but preferred, whenever possible, to use
strategy and cunning rather than force to gain his ends. His
first prize was a big French ship, which, although Davis had only
a small sloop and a crew of but thirty-five men, he managed to
take by a bold and clever trick. After taking a few more ships in
the West Indies, Davies sailed across the Atlantic to the Island
of St. Nicholas in the Cape Verde Islands. Here he and his crew
were a great social success, spending weeks on shore as the
guests of the Governor and chief inhabitants. When Davis
reluctantly left this delightful spot, five of his crew were
missing, "being so charmed with the Luxuries of the Place, and
the Conversation of some Women, that they stayed behind."
Davis now went cruising and took a number of vessels, and
arrived eventually at St. Jago. The[Pg 107] Portuguese Governor
of this island did not take at all kindly to his bold visitor,
and was blunt enough to say he suspected Davis of being a pirate.
This suspicion his crew took exception to, and they decided they
could not let such an insult pass, so that very night they made a
sudden attack on the fort, taking and plundering it.
Davis sailed away next morning to the coast and anchored off
the Castle of Gambia, which was strongly held for the African
Company by the Governor and a garrison of English soldiers.
Davis, nothing daunted, proposed to his merry men a bold and
ingenious stratagem by which they could take the castle, and, the
crew agreeing, it was carried out with so much success that they
soon had the castle, Governor, and soldiers in their possession,
as well as a rich spoil of bars of gold; and all these without a
solitary casualty on either side. After this brilliant coup, many
of the soldiers joined the pirates. The pirates were attacked
shortly afterwards by a French ship commanded by Captain La
Bouse, but on both ships hoisting their colours, the Jolly Roger,
they understood each other and fraternized, and then sailed
together to Sierra Leone, where they attacked a tall ship they
found lying there at anchor. This ship also proved to be a
pirate, commanded by one Captain Cocklyn, so the three joined
forces and assaulted the fort, which, after a sharp bombardment,
surrendered. Davis was then elected commander of the pirate
fleet, but one night, when entertaining the other captains in his
cabin, all having drunk freely of punch, they started to quarrel,
and blows were threatened, when Davis, with true Celtic
eloquence, hiccupped out the following speech:
"Hearke ye, you Cocklyn and La Bouse. I find by strengthening
you I have put a rod into your Hands to whip myself, but I'm
still able to deal with[Pg 108] you both; but since we met in
Love, let us part in Love, for I find that three of a Trade can
never agree." Alone once more, Davis had prodigious success,
taking prize after prize, amongst others the Princess, the
second mate in which was one Roberts, soon to become a most
famous pirate. Off Anamaboe he took a very rich prize, a
Hollander ship, on board of which was the Governor of Accra and
his retinue, as well as £15,000 sterling and rich
merchandise. Arriving next at the Portuguese Island of Princes,
Davis posed as an English man-of-war in search of pirates, and
was most warmly welcomed by the Governor, who received him in
person with a guard of honour and entertained him most
hospitably. Davis heard that the Governor and the chief persons
of the island had sent their wives to a village a few miles away,
so the pirate and a few chosen spirits decided to pay a surprise
visit on these ladies. However, the ladies, on perceiving their
gallant callers, shrieked and ran into the woods and, in fact,
made such a hullabaloo that the English Don Juans were glad to
slink away, and "the Thing made some noise, but not being known
was passed over."
Davis, ever a cunning rogue, now formed a pretty scheme to
take the Governor and chief inhabitants prisoners and to hold
them for a big ransom. This plan was spoilt by a Portuguese slave
swimming to shore and telling the Governor all about it, and
worse, telling him about the little affair of Davis and his visit
to the ladies in the wood. The Governor now laid his plans, and
with such success that Davis walked unsuspecting into the trap,
and was "shot in the bowels," but it is some consolation to know
that he "dyed like a game Cock," as he shot two of the Portuguese
with his pistols as he fell.
Thus died a man noted during his lifetime by his
contemporaries for his "affability and good nature,"[Pg 109]
which only goes to show how one's point of view is apt to be
influenced by circumstances.
DAVIS, Gabriel.
Tried for piracy at the Star Tavern in Boston, Massachusetts,
in 1704.
DAVIS, William.
A Welshman.
Arrived at Sierra Leone in honest employ in the Ann
galley. Quarrelling with the mate, whom he beat, he deserted his
ship and went to live ashore with the negroes, one of whom he
married, with whom he settled down. One evening, the weather
being hot, and Davis being very thirsty, he sold his bride for
some punch. His wife's relations, being indignant, seized Davis,
who told them, being, perhaps, still a little under the influence
of the punch, that he did not care if they took his head off. But
his "in-laws" knew a more profitable way of being revenged than
that, and sold him to Seignior Joffee, a Christian black. Soon
afterwards Captain Roberts, in the Royal Fortune, arrived
in the bay, and Davis ran away and joined the pirates.
Hanged at the age of 23.
DAWES. Corsair.
An English renegade.
When Roberts was cast away on June 12th, 1692, in Nio, a small
island in the Grecian Archipelago, in His Majesty's hired ship
the Arcana galley, most of the crew escaped in a French
prize they had taken. Roberts remained behind, hoping to save
some of his valuables, which were in the Arcana. But on
June 15th a crusal, or corsair, appeared in the harbour, which
Roberts's five companions went on board of.[Pg 110]
Various designs were made by the corsair captain to induce
Roberts to come aboard. Eventually an Englishman named Dawes (a
native of Saltash in Cornwall) was sent ashore. He had served for
eight years in the corsair until taken out of her a short time
previously by the Arcana. Roberts writes, in his frank
style: "But Dawes, like a Dog returning to his Vomit, went on
Board again." Eventually a party of the corsair's landed under
the leadership of Dawes, and captured Roberts and carried him on
board the pirate craft, where for many years he worked as a
slave.
DAWES, Robert.
One of the mutineers on the brig Vineyard in 1830. It
was the full confession of Dawes that brought about the
conviction and execution of the ringleader, Charles Gibbs.
DAWSON, Joseph.
One of Captain Avery's crew of the Charles the Second.
Tried at the Old Bailey in 1696 for piracy, and convicted. He
pleaded to be spared and to be sent to servitude in India, but
was hanged at Execution Dock.
DEAL, Captain Robert.
Mate to Captain Vane in 1718. He was very active off the coast
of Carolina and New England, taking many prizes. In November,
1718, when cruising between Cape Meise and Cape Nicholas, on the
lookout for ships, he met with and fired on a vessel that
appeared to be a merchantman, at the same time running up the
Jolly Roger. The apparently peaceful merchantman replied with a
broadside, and proved to be a French man-of-war. A quarrel took
place amongst the pirates, Vane and some of the crew,[Pg 111]
including Deal, being for running away for safety, while the
rest, headed by Rackam, were in favour of fighting it out. Vane
insisted on their escaping, which they did, but next day he,
Deal, and some others were turned out of the ship and sent away
on their own in a small sloop. Deal was put in command of this
sloop, but was soon afterwards captured by an English man-of-war
and brought to Jamaica, where he was tried, convicted, and
hanged.
DEANE, Captain John. Buccaneer.
Commanded the St. David. He was accused by the Governor
of Jamaica in 1676 of having held up a ship called the John
Adventure and of taking out of her several pipes of wine and
a cable worth £100, and of forcibly carrying the vessel to
Jamaica. Deane was also reported for wearing Dutch, French, and
Spanish colours without commission, and was tried and condemned
to suffer death as a pirate. Owing to various legal, or illegal,
quibbles, Deane was reprieved.
DEDRAN, Le Capitaine. A French filibuster of French
Domingo.
Commanded, in 1684, the Chasseur (120 men, 20
guns).
DEIGLE, Richard.
An Elizabethan pirate. Wrecked in the John of Sandwich
at Alderney in 1564, when he was arrested, but escaped in a small
boat.
DELANDER, Captain. Buccaneer.
Commanded a chatas, or small coasting craft. He was
sent by Morgan ahead of the main body when, in January, 1671, he
marched from San Lorenzo on his great assault on
Panama.[Pg
112]
DELIZUFF. Barbary corsair.
In 1553, while Barbarossa was sailing from Algiers to
Constantinople, he was joined by Delizuff with a fleet of
eighteen pirate vessels.
Delizuff was killed in an affair at the Island of Biba, and,
the crews of the two corsairs quarrelling, the ships of Delizuff
stole away one dark night.
DELVE, Jonathan.
One of Captain Lowther's crew in the Happy Delivery.
Was hanged at St. Kitts in 1722.
DEMPSTER, Captain. Buccaneer.
In 1668 he was in command of several vessels and 300 men,
blockading Havana.
DENNIS, Henry.
Of Bideford in Devonshire.
At first a pirate with Captain Davis, he afterwards joined
Captain Roberts's crew. Was tried for piracy at Cape Coast Castle
in 1722, and found guilty, but for some reason was reprieved and
sold for seven years to serve the Royal African Company on their
plantations.
DERDRAKE, Captain John, alias Jack of the Baltic. A
Danish pirate, of Copenhagen.
When a carpenter in the King's Dockyard at Copenhagen he was
dismissed for drunkenness. After making a few voyages to London
as a ship's carpenter, his parents died and left their son a
fortune of 10,000 rix-dollars. With this money Derdrake built
himself a fast sailing brig sheathed with copper, and for a while
traded in wood between Norway and London. Becoming impatient of
the smallness of the profits in this trade, he offered his
services and ship to Peter the Great. This monarch, as was his
custom,[Pg
113] examined the ship in person, and, approving of
her, bought her, and at the same time appointed Derdrake to be a
master shipwright in the royal dockyards on the Neva. The
carpenter, always a man of violent temper, one day quarrelled
with one of his superiors, seized an axe, and slew him. His ship
then happening to be in the roads, Derdrake hurried on board her
and made sail, and went off with the cargo, which he sold in
London. Arming his vessel with twelve guns, he sailed for Norway,
but on the way he was attacked by a big Russian man-of-war. The
Russian was defeated and surrendered, and Derdrake went into her
in place of his own smaller ship, giving his new craft the
ominous name of the Sudden Death. With a fine, well-armed
ship and a crew of seventy desperadoes, one-half English, and the
rest Norwegian and Danish, he now definitely turned pirate. Lying
in wait for English and Russian ships carrying goods to Peter the
Great, the pirates took many valuable prizes, with cargoes
consisting of fittings for ships, arms, and warm woollen
clothing. For these he found a ready market in Sweden, where no
questions were asked and "cash on delivery" was the rule.
Derdrake drowned all his prisoners, and was one of the very
few pirates, other than those found in works of fiction, who
forced his victims to "walk the plank." Not long afterwards the
pirates met with and fought an armed Swedish vessel, which was
defeated, but the captain and crew escaped in the long-boat, and,
getting to shore, spread the tidings of the pirates' doings. On
hearing the news, the Governor of St. Petersburg, General
Shevelling, sent out two ships to search for and take the
pirates, offering a reward of 4,000 rix-dollars for Derdrake's
head. The pirates had just heard of this when they happened to
take a Russian vessel bound for Cronstadt, on board of which was
a passenger, a sister of[Pg 114] the very General Shevelling.
This poor lady, after being reproached by the pirates for her
brother's doings, was stabbed to death in the back by Derdrake.
At this time there was aboard the Sudden Death a Danish
sailor, who, having been severely flogged for being drunk at sea,
shammed sickness and pretended to have lost the use of his limbs.
The captain was deceived, and sent the sailor, well supplied with
money, to a country house at Drontheim in Sweden, to recover. No
sooner had Jack of the Baltic left than the Danish sailor set off
post-haste for St. Petersburg, where he saw the Governor and told
him of his sister's murder, and also that the pirates were to be
found at Strothing in Sweden. Two well-armed vessels were
immediately despatched, which, finding the Sudden Death at
anchor, fought and sunk her, though unfortunately Derdrake was on
shore and so escaped; but the whole crew were hung up alive by
hooks fixed in their ribs and sent to drift down the Volga.
Derdrake, who had a large sum of money with him, bought an estate
near Stralsund, and lived there in luxury for fourteen years,
until one day, a servant having robbed him of a sum of money,
Derdrake followed him to Stockholm, where he was recognized by
the captain of the Swedish ship who had first given information
against him, and the pirate was at once arrested, tried, and
hanged.
DEW, Captain George.
Of Bermuda.
He commanded a Bermuda ship and sailed in company with Captain
Tew, when they were caught in a storm off that island, and
Captain Dew, having sprung his mast, was compelled to put back to
the island for repairs. Captain Tew continued his journey to
Africa, but what became of Captain Dew is not known.[Pg
115]
DIABOLITO.
A Central American pirate who became very famous in the early
part of the last century. Commanded the Catalina in 1823
off the coast of Cuba.
DIEGO, or Diego Grillo.
A mulatto of Havana.
After the general amnesty to pirates, given in 1670, Diego,
Thurston, and others continued to attack Spanish ships and to
carry their prizes to their lair at Tortuga Island. Diego
commanded a vessel carrying fifteen guns. He succeeded in
defeating three armed ships in the Bahama Channel, which had been
sent to take him, and he massacred all the Spaniards of European
birth that he found among the crews. He was caught in 1673 and
hanged.
DIPPER, Henry.
One of the English soldiers who deserted from the Fort Loyal,
Falmouth, Maine, and joined Captain Pound, the pirate. Killed in
the fight at Tarpaulin Cove in 1689.
DOLE, Francis.
Was one of Hore's crew. Lived with his wife, when not "on the
account," at his house at Charleston, near Boston. The pirate
Gillam was found hiding there by the Governor's search-party on
the night of November 11th, 1699. Dole was committed to gaol at
Boston.
DOROTHY, John.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew. Tried for piracy at Boston
in June, 1704.[Pg 116]
DOVER, Doctor Thomas.
Born 1660; died 1742.
This many-sided character was educated at Caius College,
Cambridge, where he took the degree of Bachelor of Medicine. Many
years afterwards, in 1721, the Royal College of Physicians made
him a licentiate. For many years Dover practised as a physician
at Bristol, until the year 1708, when he sailed from Bristol as
"second captain" to Captain Woodes Rogers, with the Duke
and the Duchess, two privateer ships fitted out for a
South Sea cruise by some Bristol merchants. Dover had no
knowledge whatever of navigation, but, having a considerable
share in the adventure, he insisted on being given a command.
Sailing round the Horn, the two ships arrived, on the night of
February 1st, 1709, off the Island of Juan Fernandez, where they
observed a light. Next morning Dover went ashore in a boat, to
find and rescue the solitary inhabitant of the island, Alexander
Selkirk, the original of Robinson Crusoe. Sailing north, a
Spanish ship was taken and rechristened the Bachelor, and
Dover was put in command of her. He sacked Guayaquil in April,
1709, many of the crew contracting plague from sleeping in a
church where some bodies had recently been buried. Dover
undertook to treat the sick with most heroic measures, bleeding
each sick man and drawing off 100 ounces of blood.
He also took the famous Acapulco ship, with a booty
worth more than a million pounds sterling. Dover returned to
Bristol in October, 1711, with a prize of great value, after
sailing round the world.
Giving up piracy, he settled in practice in London, seeing his
patients daily at the Jerusalem Coffee-house in Cecil Street,
Strand. He wrote a book called "The Ancient Physician's Legacy to
His Country," which ran into seven or eight editions,[Pg 117] in
which he strongly recommended the administration of large doses
of quicksilver for almost every malady that man is subject to.
This book won him the nickname of the "Quicksilver Doctor." He
invented a diaphoretic powder containing ipecacuanha and opium,
which is used to this day, and is still known as Dover's
powder.
Dover died at the age of 82, in the year 1742, and should
always be remembered for having invented Dover's powders,
commanded a company of Marines, rescued Alexander Selkirk,
written a most extraordinary medical book, and for having been a
successful pirate captain.
DOWLING, Captain William.
Of New Providence, Bahamas.
Hanged for piracy in the early part of the eighteenth
century.
DRAGUT. Barbary corsair.
Started life as a pirate, and was eventually put in command of
twelve large galleys by Kheyr-ed-din. Pillaged and burnt many
towns on the Italian coast, and destroyed ships without number.
Was taken prisoner by the younger Doria, and condemned to row in
the galleys for four years until ransomed for 3,000 ducats by
Kheyr-ed-din. Appointed Admiral of the Ottoman Fleet. Ended a
bloodthirsty but very successful career in 1565 by being killed
at the Siege of Malta.
DRAKE, Sir Francis.
Born about 1540.
The life of the famous Admiral is too well known to require
more than a bare notice in these pages. Although the Spaniards
called him "the Pirate," he was more strictly a buccaneer in his
early voyages,[Pg 118] when he sailed with the sole
object of spoiling the Spaniards. His first command was the
Judith, in John Hawkins's unfortunate expedition in 1567.
Drake made several voyages from Plymouth to the West Indies and
the Spanish Main.
In 1572 he burnt Porto Bello, and a year later sacked Vera
Cruz. He served with the English Army in Ireland under Lord Essex
in 1574 and 1575. In 1578 he sailed through the Straits of
Magellan, plundered Valparaiso, and also captured a great
treasure ship from Acapulco. Sailing from America, he crossed the
Pacific Ocean, passed through the Indian Archipelago, rounded the
Cape of Good Hope, and arrived at Deptford in England in 1581. At
the conclusion of this voyage he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth,
being the first Englishman to sail round the world. Drake's
voyages after this were sailed under commission and letters of
marque, and so lose any stigma of being buccaneering
adventures.
Drake died at Porto Bello in the year 1596.
DROMYOWE, Peter. A Breton pirate.
One of the crew of Captain du Laerquerac, who in 1537 took
several English ships in the Bristol Channel.
DRUMMOND, alias Teach, Thatch, or
Blackbeard.
DUNBAR, Nicholas. Pirate.
One of the crew of the brigantine Charles (Captain
Quelch). Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704.
DUNKIN, George.
Of Glasgow.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Hanged at Charleston, South
Carolina, in November, 1718. Buried in the marsh below low-water
mark.[Pg
119]
DUNN, William.
One of Captain Pound's crew.
DUNTON, Captain.
A citizen of London, taken prisoner by the Sallee pirates in
1636. Being a good navigator and seaman, and the Moorish pirates
being as yet inexperienced in the management of sailing ships,
Dunton was put into a Sallee ship as pilot and master, with a
crew of twenty-one Moors and five Flemish renegadoes. He was
ordered to go to the English coast to capture Christian
prisoners. When off Hurst Castle, near the Needles in the Isle of
Wight, his ship was seized and the crew carried to Winchester to
stand their trial for piracy. Dunton was acquitted, but he never
saw his little son of 10 years old, as he was still a slave in
Algiers.
EASTON, Captain.
Joined the Barbary pirates in the sixteenth century,
succeeding so well as to become, according to John Smith, the
Virginian, a "Marquesse in Savoy," whatever that may have
been.
EASTON, Captain Peter.
One of the most notorious of the English pirates during the
reign of James I.
In the year 1611 he had forty vessels under his command. The
next year he was on the Newfoundland coast, where he plundered
the shipping and fishing settlements, stealing provisions and
munitions, as well as inducing one hundred men to join his
fleet.
A year later, in 1613, he appears to have joined the English
pirates who had established themselves at Mamora on the Barbary
coast.[Pg
120]
EATON, Edward.
Of Wrexham in Wales.
One of Captain Harris's crew. Hanged at Newport, Rhode Island,
on July 19th, 1723. Age 38.
ECHLIN.
An English pirate, of the Two Brothers, a Rhode Island
built vessel, commanded in 1730 by a one-armed English pirate
called Captain Johnson.
EDDY, William.
Of Aberdeen.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Hanged at White Point,
Charleston, South Carolina, on November 8th, 1718, and buried in
the marsh below low-water mark.
ENGLAND, Captain.
Sailing in 1718 as mate in a sloop from Jamaica, he was taken
prisoner by the pirate Captain Winter. England joined the
pirates, and was given the command of a vessel. In this ship he
sailed to the coast of West Africa, and the first prize he took
was the Cadogan snow (Captain Skinner), at Sierra Leone.
Some of England's crew knew Skinner, having served in his ship,
and, owing to some quarrel, had been handed over to a man-of-war,
and deprived of the wages due to them. These men afterwards
deserted the man-of-war and joined the pirates. On Captain
Skinner coming aboard England's ship, these men took him and
bound him to the windlass, and then pelted him with glass
bottles, after which they whipped him up and down the deck,
eventually one of them shooting him through the head. This brutal
treatment was none of England's doing, who was generally kind to
his prisoners.[Pg 121]
England's next prize was the Pearl, which he exchanged
for his own sloop; fitted her up for the "pyratical Account," and
christened her the Royal James. Captain England was most
successful, taking a number of prizes, which he plundered. One
ship he captured so took the eye of England that he fitted her up
and changed into her, naming her the Victory. This he did
in the harbour at Whydah, where he met with another pirate,
called la Bouche. The two pirates and their crews spent a holiday
at this place where, according to the well-informed Captain
Johnson, "they liv'd very wantonly for several Weeks, making free
with the Negroe Women and committing such outrageous Acts, that
they came to an open Rupture with the Natives, several of whom
they kill'd and one of their Towns they set on Fire." Leaving
here, no doubt to the great relief of the negroes, it was put to
the vote of the crew to decide where they should go, and the
majority were for visiting the East Indies. Rounding the Cape of
Good Hope, they arrived at Madagascar early in 1720, where they
only stopped for water and provisions, and then sailed to the
coast of Malabar in India. Here they took several country ships,
and one Dutch one, but soon returned to Madagascar, where they
went on shore, living in tents, and hunting hogs and deer. While
on this island they looked for Captain Avery's crew, but failed
to discover them. While the pirates were here they managed to
take a ship commanded by a Captain Mackra, but not without a
desperate fight. The pirates were for killing Mackra, but, owing
to the efforts of Captain England, he managed to escape.
The pirates had several times complained of the weakness, or
humanity, of their commander towards his prisoners, and they now
turned him out and elected a new captain, and marooned England
and[Pg
122] three others on the Island of Mauritius. The
captain and his companions set about building a small boat of
some old staves and pieces of deal they found washed up on the
beach. When finished they sailed to Madagascar, where, when last
heard of, they were living on the charity of some other
pirates.
ERNADOS, Emanuel.
A Carolina pirate who was hanged at Charleston in 1717.
ESMIT, Adolf.
A Danish buccaneer, who afterwards became Governor of the
Danish island of St. Thomas, one of the Virgin Islands. The
population of this island consisted of some 350 persons, most of
whom were English. Esmit did all he could to assist the pirates,
paid to fit out their ships for them, gave sanctuary to runaway
servants, seamen, and debtors, and refused to restore captured
vessels. Adolf had taken advantage of his popularity with the
inhabitants to turn out his brother, who was the rightful
Governor appointed by the Danish Government.
ESSEX, Captain Cornelius. Buccaneer.
In December, 1679, he met with several other well-known
buccaneers in four barques and two sloops at Point Morant, and on
January 7th set sail for Porto Bello. The fleet was scattered by
a terrible storm, but eventually they all arrived at the
rendezvous. Some 300 men went in canoes and landed about twenty
leagues from the town of Porto Bello, and marched for four days
along the sea-coast.
The buccaneers, "many of them were weak, being three days
without any food, and their feet cut with the rocks for want of
shoes," entered the town on[Pg 123] February 17th, 1680.
The buccaneers, with prisoners and spoil, left the town just in
time, for a party of 700 Spanish soldiers was near at hand coming
to the rescue. The share to each man came to one hundred pieces
of eight. In 1679 Essex was brought a prisoner by a frigate, the
Hunter, to Port Royal, and tried with some twenty of his
crew for plundering on the Jamaican coast. Essex was acquitted,
but two of his crew were hanged.
EUCALLA, Domingo.
A negro. Hanged at Kingston, Jamaica, on February 7th, 1823.
Made a moving harangue to the spectators from the gallows, ending
with a prayer. Of the ten pirates executed this day, Eucalla
showed the greatest courage.
EVANS, Captain John. Welsh pirate.
Was master of a sloop belonging to the Island of Nevis.
Afterwards being in Jamaica and out of employment, and berths
being scarce, he decided to go "on the account," and in
September, 1722, rowed out of Port Royal in a canoe with a few
chosen companions. They began piracy in a small way, by paddling
along the coast and landing at night to break into a house or two
and robbing these of anything they could carry away.
At last at Dun's Hole they found what they were looking for, a
small Bermuda sloop lying at anchor. Evans stepped aboard and
informed the crew of the sloop that he was captain of their
vessel, "which was a piece of news they knew not before." Going
on shore, Evans stood treat to his crew at the village inn,
spending three pistols on liquid refreshment. He so took the
fancy of the publican by his open-handed ways that he was invited
to call again. This Evans and his companions did, in the middle
of the same[Pg 124] night, and rifled the house and
took away all they could carry aboard their sloop.
Mounting four guns and christening their little vessel the
Scowerer, they set sail for Hispaniola. Good luck
immediately followed, as on the very next day they took their
first prize, a Spanish sloop, an extraordinarily rich prize for
her size, for the crew were able to share a sum of £150 a
man. For a while all was coleur de rose, prize after prize
simply falling into their hands. But an unhappy accident was soon
to bring an end to Evans's career. The boatswain was a noisy,
surly fellow, and on several occasions the captain had words with
him about his disrespectful behaviour. The boatswain on one of
these occasions so far forgot himself as not only to use ill
language to his captain but to challenge him to a fight on the
next shore they came to with pistol and sword. On reaching land
the cowardly boatswain refused to go ashore or to fight,
whereupon the captain took his cane and gave him a hearty
drubbing, when the boatswain, all of a sudden drawing a pistol,
shot Evans through the head, so that he fell down dead. Thus was
brought to a tragic and sudden end a career that showed early
signs of great promise. The boatswain jumped overboard and swam
for the shore, but a boat put off and brought him back to the
vessel. A trial was at once held, but the chief gunner, unable to
bear with the slow legal procedure any further, stepped forward
and shot the prisoner dead.
The crew of thirty men now shared their plunder of some
£9,000 and broke up, each going his own way.
EVERSON, Captain Jacob, alias Jacobs.
In January, 1681, Sir Henry Morgan, then Lieutenant-Governor
of Jamaica, received information that a famous Dutch buccaneer,
Everson, was[Pg 125] anchored off the coast in an armed
sloop, in company with a brigantine which he had lately captured.
This was more than the ex-pirate Governor could tolerate, so he
at once set out in a small vessel with fifty picked men. The
sloop was boarded at midnight, but Everson and a few others
escaped by leaping overboard and swimming to the shore. Most of
the prisoners were Englishmen, and were convicted of piracy and
hanged.
EXQUEMELIN, Alexander Olivier, or Esquemeling in English,
Œxmelin in French. Buccaneer.
A surgeon with the most famous buccaneers, Exquemelin will
always be known as the historian who recorded the deeds of the
buccaneers in his classic book, "Bucaniers of America, or a true
account of the assaults committed upon the coasts of the West
Indies, etc.," published by W. Cooke, London, 1684. This book was
first published in Dutch at Amsterdam in 1678, then in German in
1679, in Spanish in 1681. Since then almost innumerable editions
and reprints have appeared.
The author was a Fleming, who arrived at Tortuga Island in
1666 as an engagé of the French West India Company. After
serving for three years under an inhuman master he became so ill
that he was sold cheaply to a surgeon. By the kind treatment of
his new master Exquemelin soon regained his health, and at the
same time picked up the rudiments of the craft of barber surgeon.
He was in all the great exploits of the buccaneers, and writes a
clear, entertaining, and apparently perfectly accurate first-hand
account of these adventures. He returned to Europe in 1674, and
shortly afterwards published his book.
FALL, John.
This buccaneer was one of Captain Sharp's crew. On the death
of John Hilliard, the ship's master, Fall was promoted to the
larboard watch. Nothing further is known of this man.
FARRINGTON, Thomas.
One of John Quelch's crew on the brigantine Charles.
Tried for piracy at Boston in June, 1704, at the Star Tavern.
FENN, Captain John.
In the year 1721 Captain Anstis took prize a stout ship, the
Morning Star, bound from Guiney to Carolina. This ship the
pirates armed with thirty-two pieces of cannon, manned her with a
crew of one hundred men, and placed Fenn in command, who had
until then been gunner in Anstis's ship, the Good Fortune.
Fenn was a one-handed man. By carelessness, or perhaps because of
Fenn only having one hand, the Morning Star was run on to
a reef in the Grand Caymans and lost. Fenn and a few others had
just been taken on board by his consort when two King's ships
arrived, and the Good Fortune barely escaped capture.
Fenn was soon given another ship, one armed with twenty-four
guns. In April, 1723, while cleaning their ship at the Island of
Tobago, they were suddenly surprised by the arrival of a
man-of-war, the Winchelsea. Setting fire to their ship,
the crew ran to hide in the woods. Fenn was caught a few days
later struggling through the jungle with his gunner.
FERDINANDO, Lewis.
In 1699 he captured a sloop belonging to Samuel Salters, of
Bermuda.[Pg 127]
FERN, Thomas.
A Newfoundland fish-splitter.
In August, 1723, joined with John Phillips in stealing a small
vessel, which they called the Revenge, and went "on the
account." Fern was appointed carpenter. Fern gave trouble
afterwards over the promotion of a prisoner, an old pirate called
Rose Archer, to the rank of quartermaster.
Later on Fern headed a mutiny and attempted to sail off on his
own in one of the prize vessels. He was caught, brought back, and
forgiven, but on attempting to run away a second time, Captain
Phillips killed him, "pursuant to the pirates articles."
FERNON, William.
A Somersetshire man.
Taken from a Newfoundland ship, he became a seaman aboard
Bartholomew Roberts's Royal Fortune. Died at the age of
22.
FIFE, Captain James.
Surrendered to Governor Woodes Rogers at New Providence
Island, Bahamas, in June, 1718, and received the royal pardon to
pirates. Was afterwards killed by his own crew.
FILLMORE, John.
A fisherman of Ipswich.
Taken out of the Dolphin when fishing for cod off the
Banks of Newfoundland in 1724 by the pirate Captain Phillips, and
forced to join the pirates. Having no other means of escape he,
with two others, suddenly killed Phillips and two more pirates
and brought the vessel into Boston Harbour. Millard Fillmore,
thirteenth President of the United States, was the great grandson
of John Fillmore.[Pg 128]
FITZERRALD, John.
Of Limerick.
This Irish pirate was hanged at Newport, Rhode Island, in
1723, at the age of 21.
FLEMING, Captain. Pirate.
This notorious Elizabethan pirate did his country a great
service by bringing to Plymouth the first tidings of the approach
of the Spanish Armada in 1585.
To quote John Smith, the great Elizabethan traveller and the
founder of the colony of Virginia, "Fleming was an expert and as
much sought for as any pirate of the Queen's reign, yet such a
friend to his Country, that discovering the Spanish Armada, he
voluntarily came to Plymouth, yielded himself freely to my Lord
Admirall, and gave him notice of the Spaniards coming: which good
warning came so happily and unexpectedly, that he had his pardon,
and a good reward."
FLETCHER, John.
Of Edinburgh.
Tried at Newport, Rhode Island, for piracy in 1723, found "not
guilty." His age was only 17 years.
FLY, Captain William. Pirate and prizefighter.
He was boatswain in the Elizabeth, of Bristol, in 1726,
bound for Guinea. Heading a mutiny on May 27th, he tossed the
captain over the ship's side, and slaughtered all the officers
except the ship's surgeon. Fly was unanimously elected captain by
the crew. His first prize was the John and Hannah off the
coast of North Carolina. The next the John and Betty,
Captain Gale, from Bardadoes to Guinea. After taking several
other vessels, he cruised off the coast of Newfoundland where he
took a whaler. Fly was[Pg 129] caught by a piece of strategy
on the part of the whaler captain, who carried him and his crew
in chains in their own ship to Great Brewster, Massachusetts, in
June, 1726. On July 4th Fly and the other pirates were brought to
trial at Boston, and on the 16th were executed. On the day of
execution Fly refused to go to church before the hanging to
listen to a sermon by Dr. Coleman. On the way to the gallows he
bore himself with great bravado, jumping briskly into the cart
with a nosegay in his hands bedecked with coloured ribbons like a
prizefighter, smiling and bowing to the spectators. He was hanged
in chains at Nix's Mate, a small island in Boston Harbour, and
thus was brought to a close a brief though brilliant piratical
career of just one month.
FORREST, William.
One of the mutinous crew of the Antonio hanged at
Boston in 1672.
FORSEITH, Edward.
One of Captain Avery's crew. Hanged at Execution Dock,
1696.
FOSTER. Buccaneer and poet.
Only two facts are known about this adventurer. One is that he
was reproved on a certain occasion by Morgan (who thought nothing
of torturing his captives) for "harshness" to his prisoners, and
the other that he wrote sentimental verse, particularly one work
entitled "Sonneyettes of Love."
FRANKLYN, Charles.
This Welsh pirate was a Monmouthshire man, and one of Captain
Howel Davis's crew. While at the[Pg 130] Cape Verde Islands,
Franklyn "was so charmed with the luxuries of the place and the
free conversation of the Women," that he married and settled down
there.
FREEBARN, Matthew.
One of Captain Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts on March
11th, 1722.
FROGGE, William. Buccaneer.
Was with Morgan in his attacks on Porto Bello and Panama in
1670. He kept a diary of the chief events of these exploits, and
distinctly states that the Spaniards, and not Morgan, set fire to
the city. But he was greatly enraged against Morgan for cheating
the buccaneers out of their plunder, and giving each man only
about £10 as his share.
FULWORTH, Mrs. Anne.
This lady accompanied Anne Bonny to New Providence Island from
Carolina in the guise of her mother. When Captain Rackam and Anne
Bonny were intriguing to run away from the latter's husband, "a
pardoned pirate, a likely young fellow and of a sober life," Mrs.
Fulworth offered sympathy and advice to the lovers. The scandal
being brought to the ears of Governor Woodes Rogers by a pirate
called Richard Turnley, he sent for the two ladies, "and
examining them both upon it, and finding they could not deny it,
he threaten'd, if they proceeded further in it, to commit them
both to Prison, and order them to be whipp'd, and that Rackam,
himself, should be their Executioner."
GARCIA.
One of Gilbert's crew in the Panda. Hanged at Boston in
June, 1835.[Pg 131]
GARDINER.
Although at one time a pirate, by some means or other he
became appointed to the office of Deputy Collector at Boston in
1699. Accepted a bribe of stolen gold from the pirate Gillam,
which caused some gossip in the town.
GASPAR, Captain José, alias "Gasparilla" or
"Richard Cœur de Lion."
Was an officer of high rank in the Spanish Navy till 1782,
when, having been detected in stealing some jewels belonging to
the Crown, he stole a ship and turned pirate. Settling at
Charlotte Harbour, he built a fort, where he kept his female
prisoners, all the male ones being killed. Here he lived in regal
state as king of the pirates, on Gasparilla Island. In 1801 he
took a big Spanish ship forty miles from Boca Grande, killed the
crew, and took a quantity of gold and twelve young ladies. One of
these was a Spanish princess, whom he kept for himself; the
eleven Mexican girls he gave to his crew.
Gaspar was described as having polished manners and a great
love of fashionable clothes, and being fearless in fight; but in
spite of all these attractive qualities, the little Spanish
princess would have none of him, and was murdered.
By the year 1821 the United States Government had made matters
so hot for Gaspar that the pirate kingdom was broken up and their
booty of 30,000,000 dollars divided.
As he was about to sail away, a big ship came into the bay,
apparently an English merchantman. Gaspar at once prepared to
attack her, when she ran up the Stars and Stripes, proving
herself to be a heavily armed American man-of-war. The pirate
ship was defeated, and Gaspar, winding a piece of anchor
chain[Pg
132] round his waist, jumped overboard and was
drowned, his age being 65.
GATES, Thomas.
Hanged in Virginia in 1718 with the rest of Captain Edward
Teach's crew.
GAUTIER, François, or Gautiez, alias George
Sadwell.
Native of Havre.
Cook on board the Jane schooner, commanded by Captain
Thomas Johnson. While on a voyage from Gibraltar to Brazil with a
valuable cargo, Gautier and the mate killed the captain and the
helmsman and steered the vessel to Scotland, sinking her near
Stornoway. Caught and tried at Edinburgh in November, 1821, found
guilty, and hanged in January on the sands of Leith, his body
being publicly dissected afterwards by the Professor of Anatomy
to Edinburgh University. The age of this French pirate at his
death was 23.
GAYNY, George, or Gainy.
One of Wafer's little party lost in the jungle of Darien in
1681. In attempting to swim across a swollen river with a line,
he got into difficulties, became entangled in the line which was
tied round his neck, and having also a bag containing 300 Spanish
silver dollars on his back, he sank and was swept away. Some time
afterwards Wafer found Gayny lying dead in a creek with the rope
twisted about him and his money at his neck.
GENNINGS, Captain.
A renegade English pirate who joined the Barbary corsairs,
turned Mohammedan, and commanded a[Pg 133] Moorish pirate
vessel. Taken prisoner off the Irish coast, he was brought to
London and hanged at Wapping.
GERRARD, Thomas.
Of the Island of Antigua.
One of Major Bonnet's crew of the Royal James. Tried
for piracy at Charleston in 1718, but found "not guilty."
GIBBENS, Garrat.
Boatswain on board the Queen Ann's Revenge. Was killed
at the same time as Captain Teach.
GIBBS, Charles.
Born at Rhode Island in 1794, he was brought up on a farm
there. Ran away to sea in the United States sloop-of-war
Harriet. Was in action off Pernambuco against H.M.S.
Peacock, afterwards serving with credit on board the
Chesapeake in her famous fight with the Shannon;
but after his release from Dartmoor as a prisoner of war he
opened a grocery shop in Ann Street, called the "Tin Pot," "a
place full of abandoned women and dissolute fellows." Drinking up
all the profits, he was compelled to go to sea again, and got a
berth on a South American privateer. Gibbs led a mutiny, seized
the ship and turned her into a pirate, and cruised about in the
neighbourhood of Havana, plundering merchant vessels along the
coast of Cuba. He slaughtered the crews of all the ships he took.
In 1819 returned to private life in New York with 30,000 dollars
in gold. Taking a pleasure trip to Liverpool, he was[Pg 134]
entrapped by a designing female and lost all his money.
In 1830 he took to piracy once more and shipped as a seaman in
the brig Vineyard (Captain W. Thornby), New Orleans to
Philadelphia, with a cargo of cotton, molasses, and 54,000
dollars in specie.
Gibbs again brought about a mutiny, murdering the captain and
mate. After setting fire to and scuttling the ship, the crew took
to their boats, landing at Barrow Island, where they buried their
money in the sand.
He was hanged at New York as recently as 1831.
GIDDENS, Paul.
One of Captain Quelch's crew. Tried at Boston in 1704.
GIDDINGS, John.
Of York River, Virginia.
One of Captain Pound's crew. Wounded and taken prisoner at
Tarpaulin Cove in 1689.
GILBERT, Captain.
Commanded the schooner Panda. On September 20th, 1832,
he took and plundered a Salem brig, the Mexican, on her
way from Salem to Rio de Janeiro. A few months later Gilbert and
his crew were captured by Captain Trotter, of H.M. brig-of-war
Curlew, and taken as prisoners to Salem and handed over to
the United States authorities. Tried at Boston in December, 1834.
Hanged at the same place on June 11th, 1835. This was the last
act of piracy committed upon the Atlantic Ocean.[Pg
135]
GILLAM, Captain James, alias Kelly.
A notorious pirate. When serving on board the East Indiaman
Mocha, he led a mutiny, and with his own hands murdered
the commander, Captain Edgecomb, in his sleep. He came back to
America with Captain Kidd, and was hiding, under the name of
Kelly, when caught in 1699 at Charleston, opposite Boston, by the
Governor of Massachusetts, who described him as "the most
impudent, hardened villain I ever saw." It was said that Gillam
had entered the service of the Mogul, turned Mohammedan, and been
circumcised. To settle this last point, the prisoner was examined
by a surgeon and a Jew, who both declared, on oath, that it was
so.
GILLS, John.
One of Captain Teach's crew. Hanged in Virginia in 1718.
GLASBY, Harry.
Sailed as mate in the Samuel, of London (Captain Cary),
which was taken in 1720 by Roberts, who made Glasby master on
board the Royal Fortune.
Tried for piracy on the Guinea Coast in April and acquitted.
Evidence was brought at his trial to show that Glasby was forced
to serve with the pirates, for, being a "sea-artist" or
sail-master, he was most useful to them. Twice he tried to escape
in the West Indies, on one occasion being tried with two others
by a drunken jury of pirates. The other deserters were shot, but
Glasby was saved by one of his judges threatening to shoot anyone
who made any attempt on him. Glasby befriended other prisoners
and gave away his share of the plunder to them. When the Royal
Fortune was taken by the Swallow, several
of[Pg
136] the most desperate pirates, particularly one
James Philips, took lighted matches with which to ignite the
powder magazine and blow up the ship. Glasby prevented this by
placing trusted sentinels below.
GODEKINS, Master.
This notorious Hanseatic pirate, with another called
Stertebeker, did fearful damage to English and other merchant
shipping in the North Sea in the latter part of the fourteenth
century.
On June 1st, 1395, he seized an English ship laden with salt
fish off the coast of Denmark, her value being reckoned at
£170. The master and crew of twenty-five men they slew, the
only mariner saved being a boy, whom the pirates took with them
to Wismar.
These same men took another English ship, the Dogger
(Captain Gervase Cat). The Dogger was at anchor, and the
crew fishing, when the pirates attacked them. The captain and
crew were wounded, and damage was done to the tune of 200
nobles.
Another vessel taken was a Yarmouth barque, Michael
(master, Robert Rigweys), while off Plymouth, the owner, Hugh ap
Fen, losing 800 nobles. In 1394 these Hanseatic pirates, with a
large fleet, attacked the town of Norbern in Norway, plundering
the town and taking away all they could carry, as well as the
merchants, who they held for ransom. The houses they burnt.
GOFFE, Christopher.
Originally one of Captain Woollery's crew of Rhode Island
pirates. In November, 1687, he surrendered himself at Boston, and
was pardoned. In August, 1691, was commissioned by the
Governor[Pg 137] to cruise with his ship, the
Swan, between Cape Cod and Cape Ann, to protect the coast
from pirates.
GOLDSMITH, Captain Thomas.
Of Dartmouth in Devon.
During the reign of Queen Anne, Goldsmith commanded a
privateer vessel, the Snap Dragon, of Dartmouth. He turned
pirate and amassed great riches.
This pirate would have been forgotten by now were it not that
he died in his bed at Dartmouth, and was buried in the churchyard
there. The lines engraved on his tombstone have been quoted in
the Preface, but may be repeated here:
Men that are virtuous serve
the Lord;
And the Devil's by his
friends ador'd;
And as they merit
get a place
Amidst the bless'd or
hellish race;
Pray then, ye learned
clergy show
Where can this brute,
Tom Goldsmith, go?
Whose life was
one continual evil,
Striving to
cheat God, Man, and Devil.
GOMEZ, John, alias Panther Key John.
Brother-in-law of the famous pirate Gasparilla.
Died, credited with the great age of 120 years, at Panther Key
in Florida in 1900.
GOODALE, John.
A Devonshire man.
Goodale, who was a renegade and had turned Mohammedan, held a
position of importance and wealth amongst the Moors of Algiers.
In the year 1621 he bought from the Moors a British prize called
the Exchange, and also, for the sum of £7 10s., an
English slave, lately captain of an English merchant ship, whom
he got cheap owing to his having a deformed hand.[Pg
138]
GOODLY, Captain.
An English buccaneer of Jamaica, who in the year 1663 was in
command of a "junk" armed with six guns and carrying a crew of
sixty men.
GORDON, Captain Nathaniel.
Of Portland, Maine.
Commanded and owned the Evie, a small, full-rigged
ship, which was fitted up as a "slaver." Made four voyages to
West Africa for slaves. On his last voyage he was captured by the
United States sloop Mohican, with 967 negroes on board.
Tried in New York for piracy and found guilty and condemned to
death. Great pressure was brought on President Lincoln to
reprieve him, but without success, and Gordon was hanged at New
York on February 22nd, 1862.
GOSS, Cuthbert.
Born at Topsham in Devon.
The compiler of these biographies regrets to have to record
that this pirate was hanged, at the comparatively tender age of
21, outside the gates of Cape Coast Castle, within the
flood-marks, in 1722. He was one of Captain Roberts's crew,
having been taken prisoner by Roberts at Calabar in a prize
called the Mercy galley, of Bristol, in 1721.
GOW, Captain John, alias Smith, alias Goffe. A
Scotch pirate, born at Thurso.
Although the short career of this pirate made a great noise at
the time, he did little to merit the fame which he achieved. He
had the honour of having an account of his piratical activities
written by Defoe, and ninety years later was made the hero in a
novel by Walter Scott, as Captain Cleveland.[Pg
139]
Gow sailed from Amsterdam as a foremast hand in the
George galley, commanded by Captain Ferneau, a Guernsey
man. Being a brisk and intelligent man, he was soon promoted to
be second mate. They called at Santa Cruz in Barbary to take in a
cargo of beeswax to deliver at Genoa. Sailing from Santa Cruz on
November 3rd, 1724, Gow and a few others conspired to mutiny and
then to go "upon the account." The captain, as was his custom,
had all hands, except the helmsman, into his cabin at eight
o'clock each night for prayers. This particular night, after it
was dark, the conspirators went below to the hammocks of the
chief mate, the supercargo, and the surgeon and cut all their
throats. They did the same to the captain, who was then thrown
overboard though still alive.
Gow being now elected captain and one Williams, a thorough
rogue, mate, they renamed the vessel the Revenge, armed
her with eighteen guns, and cruised off the coast of Spain,
taking an English sloop with a cargo of fish from Newfoundland,
commanded by Captain Thomas Wise of Poole. Their second prize was
a Glasgow ship loaded with herrings and salmon.
They next sailed to Madeira, where Gow presented the Governor
with a box of Scotch herrings. About this time Williams, the
first mate, insulted Gow by accusing him of cowardice because he
had refused to attack a big French ship, and snapped his pistol
at him. Two seamen standing near shot Williams, wounding him
severely, and to get rid of him they put him aboard one of their
prizes. Discussions now took place as to where to sail, and Gow,
who was in love with a lass in the Orkney Islands, suggested
sailing thither, as being a good place to traffic their stolen
goods.
On arriving at Carristown they sold most of their cargo, and
one of the crew, going on shore, bought a[Pg 140]
horse for three pieces of eight and rode to Kirkwall and
surrendered himself. Next day ten more men deserted, setting out
in the long-boat for the mainland of Scotland, but were taken
prisoners in the Forth, of Edinburgh. By now the whole
countryside was alarmed. Gow's next move was to land his men and
plunder the houses of the gentry. They visited a Mrs. Honnyman
and her daughter, but these ladies managed to get their money and
jewellery away in safety. Gow's crew marched back to their ship
with a bagpiper playing at their head.
They now sailed to Calfsound, seized three girls and took them
aboard. Then to the Island of Eda to plunder the house of Mr.
Fea, an old schoolmate of Gow's. Arriving there on February 13th,
by bad management they ran their vessel on the rocks. The bo'son
and five men went ashore and met Mr. Fea, who entertained them at
the local public-house. By a simple stratagem, Mr. Fea seized
first the bo'son and afterwards the five men. Soon after this,
Fea trapped Gow and all the rest of his crew of twenty-eight men.
Help was sent for, and eventually the Greyhound frigate
arrived and took Gow and his crew to London, arriving off
Woolwich on March 26th, 1725. The prisoners were taken to the
Marshalsea Prison in Southwark, and there found their old
companion, Lieutenant Williams. Four men turned King's
evidence—viz., George Dobson, Job Phinnies, Tim Murphy, and
William Booth.
The trial at Newgate began on May 8th, when Gow was sullen and
reserved and refused to plead. He was ordered to be pressed to
death, which was the only form of torture still allowed by the
law. At the last moment Gow yielded, and pleaded "not guilty."
Gow was found guilty, and hanged on June 11th, 1725, but "as he
was turned off, he fell down from the Gibbit, the rope breaking
by the weight of some[Pg 141] that pulled his leg. Although he
had been hanging for four minutes, he was able to climb up the
ladder a second time, which seemed to concern him very little,
and he was hanged again."
[Pg
142]
PRESSING A PIRATE TO PLEAD.
His body was then taken to Greenwich and there hanged in
chains, to be a warning to others.
GRAFF, Le Capitaine Laurens de. Filibuster.
Commanded Le Neptune, a ship armed with fifty-four guns
and a crew of 210 men, in the West Indies in the seventeenth
century.
GRAHAM, Captain.
Commanded a shallop, with a crew of fourteen men, in 1685.
Sailed in company with Captain Veale up and down the coast of
Virginia and New England.
GRAMBO.
Was "boss" of Barataria, the smugglers' stronghold off the
Island of Grande Terre, near Louisiana, until shot by Jean
Lafitte in 1811.
GRAMMONT, Sieur de. French filibuster.
One of the great buccaneers. Born in Paris, he entered the
Royal Marines, in which he distinguished himself in several naval
engagements.
He commanded a frigate in the West Indies, and captured near
Martinique a Dutch ship with a cargo worth £400,000, which
he carried to Hispaniola, but there lost all of it through
gambling, and, not daring to return to France, he joined the
buccaneers.
He sailed to Curaçoa in 1678 with the Count d'Estrees'
fleet, which was wrecked on a coral reef off the Isle d'Aves. De
Grammont was left behind to salve what he could from the wreck.
After this, with 700 men he sailed to Maracaibo, spending
six[Pg
143] months on the lake, seizing the shipping and
plundering all the settlements in the neighbourhood.
In June, 1680, de Grammont, with an obsolete commission and a
small party of men, made a brilliant night assault on La Guayra,
the seaport of Caracas. Only forty-seven men took part in the
actual attack on the town, which was guarded by two forts and by
cannon upon the walls. The pirates were attacked next day by
2,000 Spaniards from Caracas, but with the greatest skill and
bravery de Grammont got almost all his party away, though wounded
himself in the throat. He carried away with him amongst his
prisoners the Governor of the town.
He retired to the Isle d'Aves to nurse his wound, and later
went to Petit Goave.
In 1683 took part in the successful English and French attack
on Vera Cruz, and afterwards, when Vanhorn died of gangrene, de
Grammont, his lieutenant, carried his ship back to Petit Goave.
In 1685 he received a fresh commission from de Cossey, the
Governor of Dominica, and joined forces with the famous buccaneer
Laurens de Graff at the Isle of Vache, and sailed with 11,000 men
for Campeachy. Taking the town, he reduced it to ashes and blew
up the fortress, returning with the plunder to Hispaniola. Before
leaving, however, to celebrate the Festival of St. Louis, they
burnt a huge bonfire, using 200,000 crowns worth of logwood.
Grammont at this time commanded a fine ship, Le Hardy
(fifty guns and a crew of 300 men).
In 1686 de Grammont was granted a commission of "Lieutenant du
Roi," in order to keep him from harassing the Spaniards, and yet
not to lose his valuable services to his country.
In order to have one last fling at the old free buccaneering
life before settling down to the more sedate and respectable
calling of an officer in the French[Pg 144] King's navy, de
Grammont sailed off with a party of 180 desperadoes, but was
never heard of again.
GRAND, Pierre le.
A native of Dieppe in Normandy.
Le Grand was the man who, having made one great and successful
exploit, had the good sense to retire. He was the first pirate to
take up his quarters at Tortuga Island, and was known amongst the
English as "Peter the Great." His name will go down to posterity
for his "bold and insolent" action when in a small open boat with
a handful of men he seized a great Spanish galleon.
Pierre had been out on the "grand account" for a long while,
meeting with no success. When almost starving and in despair, a
great Spanish fleet hove in sight, and one ship, bigger than the
rest, was observed sailing at some little distance behind the
other vessels. The mad idea entered the head of the now desperate
pirate to take this ship. The pirates all took an oath to their
captain to fight without fear and never to surrender. It was
dusk, and in these tropical latitudes night follows day very
quickly. Before the attack, orders were given to the surgeon to
bore a hole in the bottom of the boat so that it would quickly
sink, thus taking away any hope of escape should the enterprise
fail. This was done, and the boat was paddled quietly alongside
the great warship, when the crew, armed only with a pistol and a
sword a-piece, clambered up the sides and jumped aboard. Quickly
and silently the sleeping helmsman was killed, while Pierre and a
party of his men ran down into the great cabin, where they
surprised the Spanish admiral playing cards with his officers.
The admiral, suddenly confronted by a band of bearded desperadoes
in his cabin with a pistol aimed at his head, ejaculated "Jesus
bless us! are these devils or what are they?" While this was
going[Pg
145] on others of the pirates had hurried to the
gun-room, seized the arms, killing every Spaniard who withstood
them. Pierre knew, as scarcely any other successful pirate or
gambler ever did, the right moment to stop. He at once put ashore
all the prisoners he did not want for working the ship, and
sailed straight back to France; where he lived the rest of his
life in comfortable obscurity, and never again returned to
piracy.
The news of this exploit spread rapidly over the West Indies,
and caused the greatest excitement amongst the pirate fraternity
of Tortuga and Hispaniola.
Men left their work of killing and drying beef, while others
deserted their plantations to go a-pirating on the Spaniards, in
much the same way as men went to a gold rush years after. Those
who had no boat would venture forth in canoes looking for rich
Spanish treasure ships.
It was this wild deed of Pierre le Grand that was the
beginning of piracy in the West Indies, towards the latter half
of the seventeenth century.
GRANGE, Roger.
One of Captain Lowther's crew of the Happy Delivery.
Tried for piracy at St. Kitts in 1722, but acquitted.
de GRAVES, Captain Herbert.
This Dutch pirate sailed as captain of his own merchant vessel
during the reign of King Charles II. He took to landing his crew
on the south coast of England and raiding gentlemen's houses. The
first he ever pillaged was that of a Mr. Sturt, in Sussex. In
those days, when banks were almost unknown, the houses of the
rich often contained great sums of money. De Graves was wont to
sail along the Devonshire coast, sometimes landing and robbing a
house,[Pg
146] sometimes taking a ship, which he would carry to
Rotterdam and sell. He made several daring raids into Cowes and
Lowestoft, getting off with valuable plunder.
In the war between England and the Dutch, Graves was given
command of a fire-ship. This vessel he handled very capably, and
in the action off the Downs he ran her on board the
Sandwich, setting her on fire. James, Duke of York,
escaped from the Sandwich with great difficulty, while the
Earl of Albemarle and most of the crew perished. At the
conclusion of the war, De Graves returned to piracy, but his ship
was wrecked in a storm close to Walmer Castle. The captain and a
few of his crew were saved, and, being made prisoners, were
hanged on a tree.
GREAVES, Captain, alias "Red Legs." West Indian
pirate.
Born in Barbadoes of prisoners who had been sent there as
slaves by Cromwell. Most of these slaves were natives of Scotland
and Ireland, and, owing to their bare knees, generally went by
the name of Red Legs. Young Greaves was left an orphan, but had a
kind master and a good education. His master dying, the lad was
sold to another and a cruel one. The boy ran away, swam across
Carlisle Bay, but by mistake clambered on to the wrong ship, a
pirate vessel, commanded by a notoriously cruel pirate called
Captain Hawkins. Finding himself driven to the calling of piracy,
Greaves became very efficient, and quickly rose to eminence. He
was remarkable for his dislike of unnecessary bloodshed, torture
of prisoners, and killing of non-combatants. These extraordinary
views brought about a duel between himself and his captain, in
which the former was victorious, and he was at once elected
commander.
Greaves now entered a period of the highest[Pg 147]
piratical success, but always preserved very strictly his
reputation for humanity and morality. He never tortured his
prisoners, nor ever robbed the poor, nor maltreated women.
His greatest success of all was his capture of the Island of
Margarita, off the coast of Venezuela.
On this occasion, after capturing the Spanish Fleet, he turned
the guns of their warships against the forts, which he then
stormed, and was rewarded by a huge booty of pearls and gold.
Red Legs then retired to the respectable life of a planter in
the Island of Nevis, but was one day denounced as a pirate by an
old seaman. He was cast into a dungeon to await execution, when
the great earthquake came which destroyed and submerged the town
in 1680, and one of the few survivors was Greaves. He was picked
up by a whaler, on board of which he served with success, and
later on, for his assistance in capturing a gang of pirates, he
received pardon for his earlier crimes.
He again retired to a plantation, and was noted for his many
acts of piety and for his generous gifts to charities and public
institutions, eventually dying universally respected and
sorrowed.
GREENSAIL, Richard.
One of Blackbeard's crew in the Queen Ann's Revenge.
Hanged in Virginia in 1718.
GREENVILLE, Henry.
Hanged at Boston in 1726 with Captain Fly and Samuel Cole.
GRIFFIN, Jack.
Chief mate of a Bristol vessel. One of the chief mutineers on
board the Bird galley in 1718, off Sierra Leone, when he
befriended the captain of the Bird,[Pg 148]
with whom he had been at school. Took part in a feast to
celebrate the success of the mutiny, the meal being cooked in a
huge caldron in which the slaves' food was prepared. In this
caldron were boiled, on this occasion, fowls, ducks, geese, and
turkeys, which were unplucked; several Westphalian hams were
added, and a "large sow with young embowled." The health of King
James III., the Pretender, was drunk with full honours.
GRIFFIN, John.
Of Blackwall, Middlesex.
Taken out of the Mercy galley and appointed carpenter
on board the Royal Fortune by Captain Roberts. Condemned
to be hanged at Cape Coast Castle, but pardoned and sold to the
Royal African Company as a slave for seven years.
GRIFFIN, Richard.
A gunsmith of Boston.
Sailed with Captain Pound. Wounded in a fight at Tarpaulin
Cove, a bullet entering his ear and coming out through his
eye.
GROGNIET, Captain.
A French buccaneer who in 1683 was in company with Captain
L'Escayer, with a crew of some 200 French and 80 English
freebooters. He joined Davis and Swan during the blockade of
Panama in 1685, and was in the unsuccessful attempt in May, 1685,
on the Spanish treasure fleet from Lima. In July of the same year
Grogniet, with 340 French buccaneers, parted company from Davis
at Quibo, plundered several towns, and then, foolishly, revisited
Quibo, where they were discovered by a Spanish squadron in
January, 1686, and their ship was burnt while the[Pg 149]
crew was on shore. They were rescued by Townley, with whom they
went north to Nicaragua, and sacked Granada. In May, 1686,
Grogniet and half the Frenchmen crossed the isthmus. In the
January following, Grogniet reappeared, and, joining with the
English, again plundered Guayaquil, where he was severely
wounded, and died soon afterwards.
GULLIMILLIT, Breti.
Taken with other South American pirates by H.M. sloop
Tyne, and hanged at Kingston, Jamaica, in 1823.
GUTTEREZ, Juan.
Hanged at Kingston, Jamaica, on February 7th, 1823.
GUY, Captain.
Commanded the frigate James (fourteen guns, ninety
men). Belonged to Tortuga Island and Jamaica in 1663.
HAINS, Richard.
One of Captain Low's crew. When Low took a Portuguese ship at
St. Michael's in the Azores in 1723, he, with unusual kindness,
simply burnt the ship and let the crew go to shore in a boat.
While the prisoners were getting out the boat, Richard Hains
happened to be drinking punch out of a silver tankard at one of
the open ports, and took the opportunity to drop into the boat
among the Portuguese and lie down in the bottom, so as to escape
with them. Suddenly remembering his silver tankard, he climbed
back, seized the tankard, and hid again in the boat, somehow, by
great good fortune, being unobserved by those on the ship, and so
escaped almost certain death both for himself and the Portuguese
sailors.[Pg 150]
HALSEY, Captain John.
This famous South Sea pirate was born on March 1st, 1670, at
Boston, and received a commission from the Governor of
Massachusetts to cruise as a privateer on the Banks. No sooner
was he out of sight of land than Halsey turned pirate. Taking a
ship or two, he sailed to the Canary Islands, picking up a rich
Spanish ship there. He next doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and
paid a call on the "brethren" at Madagascar. He then sailed to
the Red Sea, another happy hunting ground of the pirates, and met
a big Dutch ship armed with sixty guns. Halsey astounded his men
by announcing his sudden determination to attack only Moorish
ships in the future. The indignant crew mutinied, threw Captain
Halsey and his chief gunner in irons, and proceeded to attack the
Dutchman. The mutinous pirates got the worst of the encounter,
and released Halsey, who only just managed to get his ship away.
Luck seems to have deserted Halsey for a while, for not a Moorish
ship could he meet with, so much so that his scruples against
taking Christian ships eased enough to permit him to bag a brace
of English ships, the Essex and the Rising
Eagle.
The captain of the former proved to be a very old and dear
friend of Halsey's quartermaster, and to show a friendly feeling,
Halsey allowed the captain to keep all his personal belongings.
Nevertheless, they took a comfortable booty, comprising some
fifty thousand pounds in English gold, out of the Essex,
and another ten thousand out of the Rising Eagle.
The pirates, being strict business men, produced invoices and
sold the two ships back to their legal owners for cash, and
having settled this affair to everybody's satisfaction, Halsey
and his consort returned to Madagascar. Here they were visited by
the captain of a Scotch ship, the Neptune, which
had[Pg
151] come to trade liquor, probably rum, but possibly
whisky, with the pirates. A sudden hurricane arose, destroying
both the pirate ships and damaging the Neptune. Halsey,
ever a man of resource, thereupon seized the Scotch ship, and,
with even greater enterprise, at once attacked a ship, the
Greyhound, which lay at anchor, which was loaded with
stolen merchandise which the pirates had only just sold to the
captain of the Greyhound, and for which they had been
paid.
The end was now drawing near, for in 1716 Captain Halsey was
taken ill of some tropical fever and died. He was a popular
commander, respected, ever loved by his men, for he was a humane
man, never killing his prisoners unless necessity compelled. A
contemporary eyewitness of his funeral rites leaves the following
account of his burial:
"With great solemnity, the prayers of the Church of England
being read over him and his sword and pistols laid on his coffin,
which was covered with a ship's Jack. As many minute guns were
fired as he was old—viz., 46—and three English
vollies and one French volley of small arms." The chronicler
continues: "His grave was made in a garden of watermelons and
fenced in to prevent his being rooted up by wild pigs."
This last a truly touching thought on the part of the
bereaved.
HAMAN, Captain John.
He lived all alone with his wife and family on a small and
otherwise uninhabited island in the Bahamas.
About the year 1720, he sailed into New Providence Harbour in
his 40-ton sloop, intending to settle there. Captain Rackam and
Anne Bonny stole this vessel and eloped in her.[Pg
152]
Writing of Captain Haman, Johnson tells us "his Livelihood and
constant Employment was to plunder and pillage the Spaniards,
whose Sloops and Launces he had often surprised about Cuba and
Hispaniola, and sometimes brought off a considerable Booty,
always escaping by a good Pair of Heels, insomuch that it became
a Bye-Word to say, 'There goes John Haman, catch him if you can.'
His Business to Providence now was to bring his Family there, in
order to live and settle, being weary, perhaps, of living in that
Solitude, or else apprehensive if any of the Spaniards should
discover his Habitation, they might land, and be revenged of him
for all his Pranks."
HAMLIN, Captain Jean.
A famous French filibuster who turned pirate.
Set out in 1682 from Jamaica in a sloop with 120 other
desperadoes in pursuit of a French ship that was "wanted" by the
Jamaican Governor. Having overtaken the ship, La
Trompeuse, he seized her, fitted her up as a man-of-war, and
then started out on a wild piratical cruise, taking eighteen
Jamaican vessels, barbarously ill-treating the crews, and
completely demoralizing the trade of the island. Two other ships
were now sent to find and destroy the new La Trompeuse,
but Hamlin escaped and sailed to the Virgin Islands, and was most
hospitably received by the Governor of the Danish Island of St.
Thomas, one Adolf Esmit, who was himself a retired pirate. Using
this island as his headquarters Hamlin cruised about and took
several English ships.
In May, 1683, he appeared on the West Coast of Africa
disguised as an English man-of-war. Off the coast of Sierra
Leone, he took seventeen Dutch and English ships, returning to
Dominica in July, 1683, finally reaching the friendly St. Thomas
Island, being[Pg 153] warmly welcomed back by the pirate
Governor. Three days afterwards, H.M.S. Francis arrived on
the lookout for pirates, and attacked and burnt Hamlin's ship.
Hamlin, with the help of the Governor, managed to escape with his
life.
HANDS, Israel, also known as Basilica Hands.
Sailing-master with the famous Teach or Blackbeard. One day
when Teach was entertaining a pilot and Hands in his cabin, after
they had been drinking and chatting awhile seated round the cabin
table, on which stood a lighted candle, Blackbeard suddenly drew
his pistols, blew out the candle, and crossing his arms, fired
both his pistols under the table. Hands was shot in the knee, and
crippled for life. Teach's explanation to the angry demands of
his guests as to the reason for this extraordinary conduct
produced the reply that "if he did not shoot one or two of them
now and then, they'd forget who he was." Hands after this
deserted, but was captured at Bath in Carolina by Brand. Hands,
probably in revenge for being wantonly shot by Teach, turned
King's evidence at the inquiry held at Charleston, and brought
very serious accusations against one of the most prominent men in
the colony, Knight, who was secretary to the Chief Justice, and a
deputy collector of Customs.
Hands was tried for piracy in Virginia in December, 1718, but
pardoned. When last heard of was seen begging his bread in
London.
HANSEL, Captain.
He behaved himself so courageously at the taking of Porto
Bello in 1669, that a party of some 400 men, in four ships, chose
Hansel to be their admiral in an attempt on the town of Comana,
near Caracas. This attack was a most complete failure, the
pirates being[Pg 154] driven off "with great loss and in
great confusion." When Hansel's party arrived back at Jamaica,
they found the rest of Morgan's men had returned before them, who
"ceased not to mock and jeer at them for their ill success at
Comana, after telling them, 'Let us see what money you brought
from Comana, and if it be as good silver as that which we bring
from Maracaibo.'"
HARDING, Captain Thomas.
In 1653 he captured a rich prize, a Barbadoes vessel. For this
he was tried for piracy at Boston.
HARDY, Richard.
One of Captain Bartholomew Roberts's crew. Hanged at Cape
Coast Castle, West Coast of Africa, on April 6th, 1722, at the
age of 25 years.
It is recorded that, owing to the lack of expert knowledge in
the niceties of carrying out executions, Hardy was led to the
scaffold with his hands tied behind him. This annoyed Hardy very
much, and it is mentioned in the official account of his
execution that the prisoner indignantly declared "that he had
seen many a Man hang'd, but this Way of the Hands being ty'd
behind them, he was a Stranger to, and never saw before in his
Life."
HARPER, Abraham.
Born at Bristol.
He was cooper on board Captain Roberts's Royal Fortune.
When the pirates took a prize, it was Harper's duty to see that
all the casks and coopers' tools were removed from the prize to
the pirate craft.
Hanged at the age of 23, with the rest of the crew, in
1722.[Pg
155]
HARRIS, Captain.
Joined the Barbary corsairs during the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, turned Mohammedan, and rose to command a Moorish
pirate vessel. Cruised off the coast of Ireland, was taken
prisoner by an English ship, and hanged at Wapping.
HARRIS, Hugh.
Of Corfe Castle, Dorsetshire.
One of Roberts's crew; tried and condemned to be hanged in
1722, but reprieved and sold to the Royal African Company to
serve for seven years in their plantations.
HARRIS, James.
One of Roberts's crew.
HARRIS, Peter.
Born in Kent.
This buccaneer was known amongst the brethren of the coast as
"a brave and Stout Soldier."
In 1680 he took a leading part in the march of the buccaneers
across the Isthmus of Darien, but during the attack on the
Spanish Fleet off Panama he was shot in both legs, and died of
his wounds.
HARRIS, Richard.
A Cornishman.
One of Captain Roberts's crew and the oldest, being 45 years
of age when he was hanged, an unusually advanced age to reach in
this most "unhealthy" profession.
HARRISON, Captain.
Sailed in October, 1670, in company with Captains Prince and
Ludbury, into Port Royal, after a[Pg 156] successful
expedition with 170 men up the San Juan River in Nicaragua, when
they plundered the unfortunate city of Granada. This city had
suffered so much from previous attacks from the buccaneers that
the plunder came to only some £20 per man on this
occasion.
Modyford, the Governor of Jamaica, "reproved the captains for
acting without commissions, but did not deem it prudent to press
the matter too far"; in fact, instead of arresting Harrison and
his crew, he sent them to join Morgan the Buccaneer, who was then
gathering together a great fleet of buccaneers at the Isle of
Vache.
HARVEY, Captain.
Arrived at New London in 1685 in company with another pirate,
Captain Veale; posed as an honest merchant, but, being
recognized, left in great haste.
HARVEY, William.
Tried for piracy with the rest of Gow's crew at Newgate in
1725, and acquitted.
HARWOOD, John.
Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704. One of the crew of the
brigantine Charles (Captain John Quelch, Commander).
HATTSELL, Captain.
This buccaneer served as an officer with Mansfield in his
successful and daring night attack on the Island of Providence,
when, with only 200 men, the fort was captured and the Spanish
Governor taken prisoner. Captain Hattsell was left behind with
thirty-five men to hold the island, while Mansfield sailed to the
mainland with his prisoners, who had surrendered on condition
that they should be safely conducted there.[Pg
157]
HAWKINS, Captain.
A seventeenth-century Barbadoes pirate. Notorious for his
cruelty, which led to his fighting a duel with one of his crew,
Greaves, alias Red Legs, by whom he was defeated, his
victor being elected captain in his place.
HAWKINS, Sir John.
Born in 1532.
This famous Elizabethan seaman sailed in 1561 to the Canary
Islands, and traded in negro slaves between Africa and
Hispaniola. Afterwards became an officer in the Royal Navy. Died
at sea off Porto Bello, in 1595, when serving with Drake in the
West Indies.
HAWKINS, Captain Thomas.
In the year 1689 cruised off the coast of New England, burning
and plundering the shipping. The Bay colony sent out an armed
sloop, the Mary (Samuel Pease, commander), in October of
that year, to attempt to capture Hawkins. Pease found the pirate
in Buzzard's Bay. Hawkins ran up a red flag and a furious
engagement began. The crew of the Mary at last boarded the
pirates, and the captain, Pease, was so severely wounded that he
died.
HAWKINS, Thomas.
Born at Boston.
Turned pirate and cruised with Captain Pound. Tried for piracy
at Boston in 1690, but reprieved. Sent to England, but on the
voyage was killed in a fight with a French privateer.
HAYES, Captain, nicknamed "Bully Hayes." A South Sea
pirate.
In 1870 was arrested by the English Consul at Samoa for
piracy. There being no prison in this[Pg 158]
delightful island, the Consul ran Hayes's ship on shore, and
waited for a man-of-war to call and take his prisoner away. Hayes
spent his time, while under open arrest, attending native picnic
parties, at which he was the life and soul, being, when off duty,
a man of great charm of manner and a favourite with the ladies.
Presently another pirate arrived, one Captain Pease, in an armed
ship with a Malay crew. Hayes and Pease quarrelled violently, and
the Consul had great trouble to keep the two pirates from coming
to blows. This animosity was all a sham to throw dust in the
Consul's eyes, for one night Pease sailed away with Hayes, whom
he had smuggled on board his ship.
HAZEL, Thomas.
Of Westminster.
Hanged in Rhode Island in 1723 at the advanced age, for a
pirate, of 50. This is one of the longest lived pirates we have
been able to hear of.
HEAMAN, Peter, alias Rogers.
A French pirate, born in 1787.
Sailed from Gibraltar in May, 1821, as mate on board the
schooner Jane (Captain Thomas Johnson), bound for Bahia,
Brazil, with a very rich cargo of beeswax, silk, olives, and
other goods, as well as eight barrels of Spanish dollars.
When about seventeen days out, in the middle of the night,
Heaman attacked one of the crew, James Paterson, and beat him to
death. On the captain coming up on deck to find out what all the
noise was about, Heaman beat him to death with a musket, being
assisted by the cook, Francis Gautier, also a Frenchman. The two
conspirators then proceeded to imprison the rest of the crew in
the forecastle, and threw the dead bodies of the captain and the
sailor overboard. For two days the murderers tried to[Pg 159]
suffocate the crew by burning pitch and blowing the smoke into
the forecastle. Failing to accomplish this they let the crew out
after each had sworn on the Bible not to inform on them. The
course was now altered, and they sailed towards Scotland. The
barrels of dollars were broken open and the coins placed in bags.
In June they reached the Island of Barra, where Gautier went
ashore, wearing the late captain's green coat, and bought a large
boat. Next, they sailed to Stornoway, where they arrived in July,
and here they sank their schooner. The crew rowed ashore in the
long-boat, sharing out the dollars as they went, using an old tin
as a measure, each man getting 6,300 dollars as his share. Their
boat was smashed on the rocks when landing, but they got their
plunder safely ashore and hid it amongst the stones on the beach.
Early next morning the mutineers were visited by the Customs
officer. After he had left, the cabin boy, a Maltese, ran after
him and told him the true story of the murders and robbery. A
party of islanders was got together, the mutineers arrested and
taken to Edinburgh, where Heaman and Gautier were tried for
piracy and murder, and on November 27th found guilty and
condemned to death. They were both hanged on January 9th, 1822,
on the sands of Leith, within the flood mark, and afterwards
their bodies were delivered to Dr. Alexander Munro, Professor of
Anatomy in the University of Edinburgh, to be publicly dissected
by him.
HEATH, Peleg.
One of William Coward's crew. Condemned to be hanged at Boston
in 1690, but afterwards reprieved.
HEIDON, Captain.
Arrested for piracy in 1564 for having captured a Flemish
ship. This vessel he manned with thirteen[Pg 160]
Scotchmen in addition to his own crew, and sailed off the coast
of Spain. Here he took a prize containing a cargo of wine, which
he carried to the Island of Bere in Bantry Bay. The wine was sold
to Lord O'Sullivan. Heidon now fitted up another ship, the
John of Sandwich. Was wrecked in her on the Island of
Alderney and Heidon was arrested, but managed to escape in a
small boat with some others of the pirates.
HENLEY, Captain.
In 1683 sailed from Boston "bound for the Rack," afterwards
going to the Red Sea, where he plundered Arab and Malabar
ships.
HERDUE, Captain. Buccaneer.
Commanded a frigate of four guns, crew of forty men, at
Tortuga Island, in 1663.
HERNANDEZ, Augustus.
Hanged at Kingston, Jamaica, in 1823.
HERNANDEZ, Juan.
Captured with nine other pirates by H.M. sloop-of-war
Tyne and taken to Jamaica. Hanged on February 7th, 1823,
at Kingston.
HERRIOTT, David.
Master of the Adventure, from Jamaica, taken by Teach
in 1718. He joined the pirates, and later, when Major Stede
Bonnet separated from Teach, he took Herriott to be his
sailing-master. Taken prisoner with Bonnet and his crew of the
Royal James by Colonel Rhet, at Cape Fear, North Carolina,
September 27th, 1718. Herriott and the boatswain, Ignatius Pell,
turned King's evidence at the trial of the pirates held at
Charleston. On October 25th, Bonnet and Herriott[Pg 161]
escaped from prison, in spite of the fact that the latter had
turned King's evidence. Herriott was shot on Sullivan Island a
few days later.
HEWETT, William, or Hewet, or Hewit.
Of Jamaica.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Tried for piracy at
Charleston in 1718, and hanged at White Point on November 8th,
and buried in the marsh below low-water mark.
HIDE, Daniel.
Of Virginia.
One of the crew of Captain Charles Harris, who, with Captain
Low, played havoc on the shipping off the American coast from New
York to Charleston. Hanged at Newport, Rhode Island, in July,
1723, at the age of 23.
HILL, Corporal John.
In charge of the guard at Fort Royal, Falmouth, Maine, which
all deserted one night, and went to sea with the pirate Captain
Pound. Killed at Tarpaulin Cove in 1689.
HILLIARD, John.
Was "chief man" of the company of Captain Bartholomew Sharp on
his "dangerous voyage" to the South Seas. Died on January 2nd,
1681, of dropsy; buried at sea with the usual buccaneers'
honours.
HINCHER, Dr. John.
Of Edinburgh University.
Tried for piracy in July, 1723, at Newport, Rhode Island, but
acquitted. This young doctor, his age[Pg 162]
was only 22, was taken off a prize by Captain Low against his
will, to act as ship's surgeon with the pirates.
HIND, Israel, or Hynde.
Of Bristol.
One of Captain Roberts's crew. Hanged at Cape Coast Castle in
1722, at the age of 30.
HINGSON, John.
One of Wafer's party left behind and lost in the forest when
Dampier crossed the Isthmus of Darien on foot in 1681.
HITCHENS, Robert.
A Devonshire man, born in the year 1515.
Took to piracy early in life. Sailed with the pirate Captain
Heidon, and was wrecked on Alderney in the year 1564. Arrested
and tried for piracy, and was hanged in chains at low-water mark
at St. Martin's Point, Guernsey, in 1564, at the age of 50.
HOLDING, Anthony.
One of John Quelch's crew of the brigantine Charles.
Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704.
HOLFORD, Captain. Buccaneer.
Of Jamaica.
An old friend of the notorious pirate Vane. In 1718 he
happened to arrive in his ship at a small uninhabited island in
the Bay of Honduras to find Vane on shore and destitute. Vane
thought he would be saved by Holford, but the latter was quite
frank in refusing, saying: "I shan't trust you aboard my ship
unless I carry you a prisoner, for I shall have you caballing
with my men, knock me on the head, and run away with my ship
a-pyrating." It was[Pg 163] owing to Holford that Vane was
eventually taken a prisoner to Jamaica and there hanged.
HOLLAND, Captain Richard.
An Irishman.
Commanded a Spanish pirate vessel in the West Indies in 1724.
The crew consisted of sixty Spaniards, eighteen French, and
eighteen English sailors. Holland had originally belonged to the
Royal Navy, but deserted from the Suffolk at Naples, and
took shelter in a convent in that city. In August, 1724,
Holland's ship took as prizes the John and Mary, the
Prudent Hannah of Boston, and the Dolphin, of
Topsham, all on their way to Virginia. From out of the John
and Mary he took thirty-six men slaves, some gold dust, the
captain's clothes, four great guns and small arms, and 400
gallons of rum.
HOPKINS, Mr. Buccaneer and apothecary.
First lieutenant to Captain Dover (a doctor of physic) on
board the Duchess privateer, of Bristol. Mr. Hopkins was
an apothecary by profession, not a sailor, but being a kinsman to
the captain, no doubt was given promotion. He sailed from Bristol
on August 2nd, 1708.
HORE, Captain.
About 1650 Hore turned from a privateer into a pirate, and was
very active and successful in taking prizes between New York and
Newport, occasionally sailing to Madagascar to waylay ships of
the East India Company.
HORNIGOLD, Captain Benjamin.
Commanded a sloop in 1716 and cruised off the Guinea coast
with Teach, taking a big French Guinea ship. He then sailed to
the Bahama Islands, where,[Pg 164] in 1718, Woodes
Rogers had just arrived with the offer of a pardon to all pirates
who surrendered themselves. Teach went off again "on the
account," but Hornigold surrendered. Shortly afterwards Hornigold
was wrecked on a reef and drowned.
HOW, Thomas.
A native of Barnstaple in Devon.
One of Captain Bartholomew Roberts's crew. Condemned to death
for piracy, but reprieved and sold to the Royal African Company
to work on their plantations for seven years.
HOWARD, Thomas.
Born in London, the son of a Thames lighterman. Sailing to
Jamaica, he deserted his ship and, with some companions of a like
mind, stole a canoe and set off to the Grand Cayman Islands, and
there met with some 200 buccaneers and pirates. Joining with
these, they took several vessels, lastly a well-armed Spanish
ship. In her they cruised off the coast of Virginia, taking a
large New England brigantine, of which Howard was appointed
quartermaster. Their next prize was a fine Virginian galley,
twenty-four guns, crowded with convicts being transplanted to
America. These passengers were only too willing to join the
pirates.
Next, they sailed away to Guinea, where they took numerous
prizes. Here they were attacked by a big Portuguese ship of
thirty-six guns, which they defeated. Having by now got together
a well appointed pirate fleet, they sailed round the Cape of Good
Hope to Madagascar, the happy home of the South Sea pirates.
Their ship, the Alexander, was wrecked and lost on a reef,
and Howard, together with the English and Dutch members of the
crew, seized the treasure, and drove off the Portuguese and
Spanish[Pg
165] sailors and also the captain, and got to shore in
a boat. They then broke up their ship, and lived for a while by
fishing and hunting. On one of these hunting parties, the men ran
away and left Howard behind.
Howard was found by the King of Anquala, who took care of him
until he was picked up by a ship. Later on, Howard became captain
of a fine vessel, the Prosperous, thirty-six guns, which
he and some other pirates had seized at Madagascar. In her,
Howard went cruising, eventually in company with Captain Bowen,
attacking a Moorish fleet off St. John's Island. Howard followed
the Moorish ships up a river, and, after a fierce fight, seized
the largest and richest prize, a ship containing upward of a
million dollars worth of goods. Howard, having now made a
considerable fortune, retired from the piratical life and went to
India, and there married a native woman and settled down. Howard,
who was a morose, sour kind of man, ill-treated his wife, and he
was at length murdered by some of her relations.
HUGGIT, Thomas.
Of London.
Hanged at Newport, Rhode Island, in July, 1723. Age 30.
HULL, Captain Edward.
Commanded the Swallow "frigott" in which he sailed from
Boston in 1653, and captured several French and Dutch ships. He
afterwards sold his vessels and went with his share of the
plunder to England, where he settled down.
HUNTER, Andrew.
One of Captain Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts on March
11th, 1722.[Pg 166]
HUSK, John.
One of Blackbeard's crew in the Queen Ann's Revenge.
Killed off North Carolina in 1718.
HUTNOT, Joseph.
One of the crew of the notorious brigantine Charles,
commanded by Captain Quelch. Tried for piracy at the Star Tavern,
Boston, in 1704.
HUTT, Captain George, or Hout. Buccaneer.
An Englishman who succeeded Captain Townley when the latter
was killed during a gallant fight with three Spanish galleons in
1686 near Panama.
INGRAM, Gunner William.
Was one of Captain Anstis's crew in the Good Fortune
when that pirate took the Morning Star. After the prize
had been converted to the pirates' use, Ingram was appointed
gunner. Later, when Ingram came to be tried for piracy, evidence
was produced to prove that he had joined the pirates of his own
free will, and, in fact, had on all occasions been one of the
forwardest in any action, and altogether "a very resolute
hardened Fellow." He was hanged.
IRELAND, John. Pirate.
"A wicked and ill-disposed person," according to the royal
warrant of King William III. granted to "our truly and dearly
beloved Captain William Kidd" to go in the year 1695 to seize
this and other pirates who were doing great mischief to the ships
trading off the coast of North America.
IRVINE, Captain.
One of the last pirates in the Atlantic. Very active in the
early part of the nineteenth century.
JACKMAN, Captain. Buccaneer.
In 1665 took part with Morris and Morgan in a very successful
raid on Central America, ascending the river Tabasco in the
province of Campeachy with only 107 men. Led by Indians by a
detour of 300 miles, they surprised and sacked the town of Villa
de Mosa. Dampier describes this small town as "standing on the
starboard side of the river, inhabited chiefly by Indians, with
some Spaniards." On their return to the mouth of the river,
Jackman's party found the Spaniards had seized their ship, and
some three hundred of them attacked the pirates, but the
Spaniards were easily beaten off.
The freebooters next attacked Rio Garta, and took it with only
thirty men, crossed the Gulf of Honduras to rest on the Island of
Roatan, and then proceeded to the Port of Truxillo, which they
plundered. They next sailed down the Mosquito coast, burning and
pillaging as they went.
Anchoring in Monkey Bay, they ascended the San Juan River in
canoes one hundred miles to Lake Nicaragua. The pirates described
the Lake of Nicaragua as being a veritable paradise, which,
indeed, it must have been prior to their visit. Hiding by day
amongst the many islands and rowing by night, on the fifth night
they landed near the city of Granada, just one year after
Mansfield's visit. The buccaneers marched right into the central
square of the city without being observed by the Spaniards, who
were taken completely by surprise, so that the English were soon
masters of the city, and for sixteen hours they plundered it.
Some 1,000 Indians, driven to rebellion by the cruelty and
oppression of the Spaniards, accompanied the marauders and wanted
to massacre the prisoners, particularly "the religious," but when
they understood that the buccaneers were not remaining in
Granada, they thought better of it,[Pg 168] having, no doubt, a
shrewd inkling of what to expect in the future when their
rescuers had left.
JACKSON, Captain William. Buccaneer.
In 1642 he gathered together a crew of more than a thousand
buccaneers in the Islands of St. Kitts and Barbadoes, and sailed
with these in three ships to the Spanish Main, plundering
Maracaibo and Truxillo.
On March 25th, 1643, Jackson's little fleet dropped anchor in
the harbour, what was afterwards to be known as Kingston, in the
Island of Jamaica, which was then still in the possession of
Spain. Landing 500 of his men, he attacked the town of St. Jago
de la Vega, which he took after a hard fight and with the loss of
some forty of his men. For sparing the town from fire he received
ransom from the Spaniards of 200 beeves, 10,000 pounds of cassava
bread, and 7,000 pieces of eight. The English sailors were so
delighted by the beauty of the island that in one night
twenty-three of them deserted to the Spaniards.
JACKSON, Nathaniel.
One of Captain Edward Teach's crew. Killed at North Carolina
in 1718.
JAMES, Captain. Buccaneer.
Belonged to Jamaica and Tortuga. In 1663 was in command of a
frigate, the American (six guns, crew of seventy men).
JAMES, Captain.
A buccaneer captain who was in 1640 temporarily appointed
"President" of Tortuga Island by the Providence Company, while
their regular Governor, Captain Flood, was in London, clearing
himself of charges preferred against him by the
planters.[Pg 169]
JAMES, Captain.
About 1709 commanded a pirate brigantine off Madagascar.
Sailed for some time in company with a New York pirate called Ort
Van Tyle.
JAMES, Charles.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew taken in the Larimore
galley at Salem. Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704.
JAMISON, alias Monacre Nickola.
Born at Greenock in Scotland, the son of a rich cloth
merchant, he received a polite education, spoke several
languages, and was described as being of gentlemanly
deportment.
He served as sailing-master to Captain Jonnia when he took the
schooner Exertion. The captain and crew were eventually
saved by Nickola. Years afterwards Nickola went to Boston, and
lived with Captain Lincoln of the Exertion, and made a
living by fishing for mackerel in the warm season, and during the
winter by teaching navigation to young gentlemen.
JANQUAIS, Captain.
A French filibuster of San Domingo.
His ship, La Dauphine, carried thirty guns and a crew
of 180 men.
JEFFERYS, Benjamin.
Of Bristol.
Taken by Roberts in the Norman galley in April, 1721.
Roberts allowed those of the crew who did not wish to join the
pirates to return to the Norman, but Jefferys had made
such friends on the pirate ship that he was too drunk to go, and
also was abusive in his cups, telling his hosts there was not one
man amongst[Pg 170] them. For this he received six
lashes with the cat-o'-nine-tails from every member of the crew,
"which disordered him for some weeks." But Jefferys eventually
proved himself a brisk and willing lad, and was made bos'on's
mate. He was hanged a year later at the age of 21.
JENNINGS.
A Welshman who in 1613 was settled on the Barbary coast with
some thirty other British pirates.
JENNINGS, Captain.
This Welsh pirate had been a man of good position, education,
and property before he took to piracy, which he did for the love
of the life and not from necessity. He was held in high esteem by
his fellow-pirates at their stronghold in the Bahamas. When
notice was brought of King George's pardon in 1717, a meeting was
held of all the pirates at which Jennings presided. After much
discussion, Jennings boldly gave out that he himself meant to
surrender, whereupon some hundred and fifty other pirates
declared their intention of doing likewise. On the new Governor's
arrival from England they received their certificates, though the
greater part of them soon went back to piracy, or, to quote the
expressive Captain Johnson, "returned again like the Dog to the
Vomit."
JOBSON, Richard, or Cobson or Gopson.
His original calling was that of a druggist's assistant in
London. He combined piracy with the study of divinity. He was one
of Dampier's party which crossed the Isthmus of Darien in 1681,
and was left behind with Wafer, who tells us in his book that
Gopson "was an ingenious man and a good scholar,[Pg 171]
and had with him a Greek testament which he frequently read and
would translate extempore into English to such of the company as
were disposed to hear him."
After great sufferings in the tropical jungle in the wet
season, Jobson and his friends reached the "North Sea" to find an
English buccaneer vessel lying at anchor off the shore. On rowing
out to the ship the canoe upset, and Jobson and his gun were
thrown overboard, but the former was rescued, though he died a
few days later on board the vessel owing to the exposure he had
been subjected to. He was buried in the sand at Le Sounds Cay
with full honours—that is, a volley of guns and colours
flown at half-mast.
JOCARD, Le Capitaine.
A French filibuster who in 1684 had his headquarters in San
Domingo.
He commanded the Irondelle, a ship armed with eighteen
guns and a crew of 120 men.
JOHNSON, Captain. A successful and very bloody pirate.
Of Jamaica.
Immediately after the publication of peace by Sir Thomas
Lynch, Governor of Jamaica in 1670, which included a general
pardon to all privateers, Johnson fled from Port Royal with some
ten followers, and shortly after, meeting with a Spanish ship of
eighteen guns, managed to take her and kill the captain and
fourteen of the crew. Gradually collecting together a party of a
hundred or more English and French desperadoes he plundered many
ships round the Cuban coast. Tiring of his quarrelsome French
companions he sailed to Jamaica to make terms with the Governor,
and anchored in Morant Bay, but his ship was blown ashore by a
hurricane. Johnson was[Pg 172] immediately arrested by
Governor Lynch, who ordered Colonel Modyford to assemble the
justices and to proceed to trial and immediate execution. Lynch
had had bitter experiences of trying pirates, and knew that the
sooner they were hanged the better. But Modyford, like many other
Jamaicans, felt a strong sympathy for the pirates, and he managed
to get Johnson acquitted in spite of the fact that Johnson
"confessed enough to hang a hundred honester persons." It is
interesting to read that half an hour after the dismissal of the
court Johnson "came to drink with his judges." Governor Lynch,
now thoroughly roused, took the matter into his own hands. He
again placed Johnson under arrest, called a meeting of the
council, from which he dismissed Colonel Modyford, and managed to
have the former judgment reversed. The pirate was again tried,
and in order that no mistake might happen, Lynch himself presided
over the court. Johnson, as before, made a full confession, but
was condemned and immediately executed, and was, writes Lynch,
"as much regretted as if he had been as pious and as innocent as
one of the primitive martyrs." This second trial was absolutely
illegal, and Lynch was reproved by the King for his rash and
high-handed conduct.
JOHNSON, Captain Ben.
When a lad he had served as a midshipman in an East Indiaman,
the Asia, but having been caught red-handed robbing the
purser of brandy and wine, he was flogged and sent to serve as a
sailor before the mast. In 1750, while in the Red Sea, he
deserted his ship and entered the service of the Sultan of Ormus.
Finding Johnson to be a clever sailor, the Sultan appointed him
admiral of his pirate fleet of fourteen vessels. The young
admiral became a convert to Brahminism, and was ceremoniously
blessed by the[Pg 173] arch-priests of the Temple.
Amongst his crew Johnson had some two hundred other Englishmen,
who also became followers of Brahmin, each of whom was allowed,
when in port, a dancing girl from the Temple.
Johnson proved a most capable and bloodthirsty pirate, playing
havoc with the shipping of the Red Sea, taking also several towns
on the coast, and putting to death his prisoners, often after
cruel tortures. His boldest exploit was to attack the fortified
town of Busrah. This he did, putting the Sheik and most of the
inhabitants to death, and taking back to his master, the Sultan,
vast plunder of diamonds, pearls, and gold.
On another occasion Johnson landed his crews on the Island of
Omalee, at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, a favourite place of
pilgrimage, and raided the temples of the Indian God Buddha.
Putting to death all the two thousand priests, he cut off the
noses and slit the upper lips of seven hundred dancing girls,
only sparing a few of the best looking ones, whom he carried away
with him along with plunder worth half a million rupees.
On their way back to the Red Sea the pirates met with an
English East Indiaman, which they took and plundered, and
Johnson, remembering his previous sufferings in the same service,
murdered the whole crew.
Shortly afterwards Johnson and ten of his English officers
contrived to run away from their master, the Sultan, in his best
and fastest lateen vessel, with an enormous booty. Sailing up to
the head of the Persian Gulf, Johnson managed to reach
Constantinople with his share of the plunder, worth
£800,000. With this as an introduction, he was hospitably
received, and was made a bashaw, and at the end of a long life of
splendour died a natural death.[Pg 174]
JOHNSON, Captain Henry, alias "Henriques the
Englishman."
A West Indian pirate, born in the North of Ireland.
Commanded the Two Brothers, a Rhode Island-built sloop,
eighteen guns, crew of ninety, mostly Spaniards. On March 20th,
1730, he took the John and Jane (Edward Burt, master),
from Jamaica, off Swan Island. The John and Jane was armed
with eight carriage and ten swivel guns, and a crew of only
twenty-five men. After a gallant resistance for five hours the
pirates boarded and took the English ship. The few survivors were
stripped naked, and preparations made to hang them in pairs. This
was prevented by Captain Johnson and an English pirate called
Echlin. There was a Mrs. Groves, a passenger, in the John and
Jane, whose husband and the English surgeon had both been
killed at the first onslaught of the pirates. This poor lady was
hidden in the hold of the ship during the action, and was only
informed afterwards of the death of her husband. The pirates now
dragged her on deck, "stript her in a manner naked," and carried
her as a prize to the Spanish captain, Pedro Poleas, who
immediately took her to the "great cabin and there with horrible
oaths and curses insolently assaulted her Chastity." Her loud
cries of distress brought Captain Johnson into the cabin, who,
seeing what was on hand, drew his pistol and threatened to blow
out the brains of any man who attempted the least violence upon
her. He next commanded everything belonging to Mrs. Groves to be
returned to her, which was done—including her clothing. The
gallant conduct of Johnson is the more surprising and pleasing
since he had the reputation of being as bloody and ruthless a
pirate as ever took a ship or cut an innocent throat. He only had
one hand, and used to fire his piece with great skill,
laying[Pg
175] the barrel on his stump, and drawing the trigger
with his right hand.
In all the American "plantations" there were rewards offered
for him alive or dead.
The end of this "penny-dreadful" pirate is unrecorded, but was
probably a violent one, as this type of pirate seldom, if ever,
died in his bed.
JOHNSON, Isaac.
One of Captain Quelch's crew. Tried for piracy at the Star
Tavern at Boston in 1704.
JOHNSON, Jacob.
Taken prisoner by Captain Roberts out of the King
Solomon, he joined the pirates.
JOHNSON, John, or Jaynson.
Born "nigh Lancaster."
Taken out of the King Solomon. One of Roberts's crew.
Hanged in 1722 at the age of 22.
JOHNSON, Marcus.
One of Captain Roberts's crew. Hanged in 1722. Stated in his
death warrant to be a native of Smyrna. Died at the age of
21.
JOHNSON, Robert.
From Whydah in West Africa.
Tried for piracy with the rest of Captain Roberts's crew, and
hanged in 1722 at the age of 32. At his trial he pleaded that he
did not enter with the pirates of his own free will, and called
witnesses to prove that at the time he was captured he was so
very drunk that[Pg 176] he had to be hoisted out of his
own ship, the Jeremiah and Ann, into the pirate ship in
tackles.
JOHNSTON, Thomas.
Of Boston.
Known as "the limping privateer." Sailed with Captain Pound.
Wounded in the jaw in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove. Tried for
piracy at Boston, and hanged on January 27th, 1690.
JONES, Captain Paul.
Probably few persons, even in Great Britain, would to-day call
Paul Jones a pirate, but this was not always the case. In all
books on pirates written shortly after the American war, Paul
Jones figured as a notorious character.
This famous privateer, let us call him, was born at
Kirkcudbright in Scotland in 1728, the son of Mr. Paul, head
gardener to Lord Selkirk, and was christened John Paul. So much
has been written about this man in books, easily procurable for
reference, that little need be said about him here.
Starting life as a sailor before the mast, he quickly showed
abilities which led to his promotion to the rank of mate in an
English ship trading in the West India Islands, and later he was
made master. On the declaration of war with America, Jones joined
the rebels, and was given command of a privateer, and from 1777
he became a terror to English shipping around the British
Isles.
One of his most startling exploits was his surprise visit in
his ship, the Ranger, to his old home with the object of
kidnapping his former employer, Lord Selkirk.
On September 23rd, 1779, he fought his famous[Pg 177]
action off Scarborough against a British convoy from the Baltic
under the command of Captain Pearson, in the Serapis, and
Captain Piercy in the Countess of Scarborough. Jones had
left the Ranger for a frigate called the Bonne Homme
Richard of forty guns and a crew of three hundred and seventy
men, and had also under his command four other ships of war. A
furious engagement took place, the utmost bravery being shown on
either side; the English ships at last being compelled to
surrender, but not until the enemy had themselves suffered
fearful damage to both their crews and ships. After the
conclusion of peace, Paul Jones, once the darling of two
continents, faded into obscurity and even poverty, and died in
Paris in the year 1792 at the age of 64.
JONES. Seaman.
A mariner. "A brisk young fellow" who served with Captain
Bartholomew Roberts's crew. On one occasion Captain Roberts had
reason to think that one of his men had spoken disrespectfully to
him, so, as a warning to the rest, he killed him. The dead man's
greatest friend was Jones, who, hearing what had happened, had a
fierce fight with Roberts. This severe breach of discipline was
punished by Jones receiving two lashes on the back from every man
on board. Jones after this sailed with Captain Anstis in the
Good Fortune.
JONES, Thomas.
Found to be "not guilty" at a trial for piracy at Newport,
Rhode Island, in 1723. One of Captain Charles Harris's crew. Age
17.
JONES, William.
Tried for piracy at Boston, 1704.[Pg
178]
JONES, William.
Of London.
Age 28. Hanged at Rhode Island, 1723.
JONNIA, Captain.
A Spaniard.
Commanded in 1821 a fast schooner, carrying a crew of forty
men, armed with muskets, cutlasses, blunderbusses, long knives,
dirks, two carronades—one a twelve, the other a
six-pounder. They had aboard with them three Mexican negresses.
The pirates took and plundered the Boston schooner
Exertion, on December 17th, 1821, the crew being
considerably drunk at the time. The plunder they took to Principe
in the Island of Cuba. The pirates took everything from their
prisoners, even their clothes, but as a parting gift sent the
captain a copy of the "Family Prayer Book" by the Rev. Mr.
Brooks. The prisoners were marooned on a small mangrove quay, but
they eventually escaped. Jonnia and some of his crew were
afterwards captured by an English ship and taken to Kingston,
Jamaica, and there hanged.
JOSE, Miguel.
Hanged at Kingston, Jamaica, in February, 1823. This old man's
last words on the scaffold were: "No he robado, no he matado
ningune, muero innocente."
JUDSON, Randall.
One of Captain Roderigo's crew. Tried for piracy at Cambridge,
Massachusetts, in June, 1675, and sentenced to be hanged;
"presently after the lecture," which was delivered by the Rev.
Increase Mather. Afterwards pardoned, but fined and banished from
the colony.
KELLWANTON.
A notorious pirate in the sixteenth century. Was captured in
the Isle of Man in 1531.
KENNEDY, Captain.
Began life as a pickpocket and housebreaker in London. He was
Captain Roberts's lieutenant, and was afterwards given command of
a prize, the Rover.
Kennedy could never, even when a captain, forget his old
trade. It is recorded that he stole a black suit of clothes from
the captain of the Bird at Sierra Leone in 1718. These he
put on with the captain's best wig and sword. He then swaggered
about on board in these till his fellow-pirates drenched him with
buckets of claret, so that he had to disrobe and throw the
garments overboard.
Owing to a quarrel with Captain Roberts, Kennedy went off in
his ship, the Rover, and sailed to Barbadoes. His first
prize, a Boston ship, was a distinct novelty, being commanded by
one Captain Knot, a Quaker, who lived up to the principles of his
sect by allowing no pistol, sword, or cutlass, or other weapon
aboard his vessel. The crew, finding Kennedy had no knowledge
whatever of navigation, threatened to throw him overboard, but
because he was a man of great personal courage they did not in
the end carry out their threat. The crew next decided to give
over piracy and to set sail for Ireland. This island they
altogether missed through bad navigation, and they ran the ship
ashore on the north of Scotland. The crew landed and passed
themselves off as shipwrecked mariners, but owing to their
drinking and rioting in each village they came to, the whole
countryside was soon roused. Kennedy slipped away and reached
Ireland. Having soon spent all his ill-gotten gains in Dublin, he
came to[Pg
180] Deptford and set up a house of ill-fame, adding
occasionally to his income from this source by a little
highwaymanry. One of the ladies of his house at Deptford, to be
revenged for some slight or other, gave information to the watch,
and Kennedy was imprisoned at Marshalsea and afterwards tried for
robbery and piracy. Kennedy turned King's evidence against some
of his old associates, but this did not save his neck, for he was
condemned and hanged at Execution Dock.
KHEYR-ED-DIN. Corsair.
Brother of the famous Barbarossa. When the latter was defeated
and killed by the Spaniards, Kheyr-ed-din sent an ambassador to
Constantinople, begging for help to protect Algiers. He was
appointed Governor of Algiers by the Sultan of Turkey in 1519.
Now greatly increased both in ships and power, he scoured the
whole Mediterranean for Italian and Spanish prizes. He raided the
Spanish coast and carried off slaves from the Balearic Islands.
He next took and destroyed the fortress of Algiers, and employed
7,000 Christian slaves to build a new one and also a great mole
to protect the harbour. Invited by Solyman the Magnificent to
help him against the Christian Admiral Andria Doria, in August,
1533, he sailed from Algiers with his fleet, being joined on the
way by another noted corsair, Delizuff.
A year afterwards, at the age of 73, Kheyr-ed-din set out from
Constantinople with a vast fleet, sacking towns and burning all
Christian ships that were so unfortunate as to fall in his way.
He returned to the Bosphorus with huge spoil and 11,000
prisoners. He sacked Sardinia, then sailed to Tunis, which he
vanquished.
Charles V. of Spain now began to collect a large fleet and an
army of 25,000 men and sailed to Tunis.[Pg 181] A
fierce fight followed; the Christians broke into the town,
massacred the inhabitants and rescued some 20,000 Christian
slaves. Kheyr-ed-din escaped with a few followers, but soon was
in command of a fleet of pirate galleys once more. A terrific but
undecisive naval battle took place off Prevesa between the
Mohammedans and the Christians, the fleet of the latter being
under the command of Andrea Doria; and Kheyr-ed-din died shortly
afterwards at Constantinople at a great age.
KIDD, Captain William, sometimes Robert Kidd or Kid.
In the whole history of piracy there is no name that has so
taken the world's fancy than has that of William Kidd. And yet,
if he be judged by his actions as a pirate, he must be placed
amongst the second- or even third-rate masters of that craft. He
took but two or three ships, and these have been, after two
hundred years, proved to be lawful prizes taken in his legal
capacity as a privateer.
Kidd was born at Greenock in Scotland about the year 1655, and
was the son of the Rev. John Kidd. Of his early life little
record is left, but we know that in August, 1689, he arrived at
St. Nevis in the West Indies, in command of a privateer of
sixteen guns. In 1691, while Kidd was on shore, his crew ran away
with his ship, which was not surprising, as most of his crew were
old pirates. But that Kidd was an efficient seaman and a capable
captain is shown by the number of times he was given the command
of different privateer vessels, both by the Government of New
York and by privateer owners.
In 1695 Kidd was in London, and on October 10th signed the
articles which were to prove so fatal for him. In January, 1696,
King William III. issued to his "beloved friend William Kidd" a
commission[Pg 182] to apprehend certain pirates,
particularly Thomas Tew, of Rhode Island, Thomas Wake, and
William Maze, of New York, John Ireland, and "all other Pirates,
Free-booters, and Sea Rovers of what Nature soever."
This privateer enterprise was financed chiefly by Lord
Bellomont, but the other adventurers (on shore and in safety)
were the Lord Chancellor; the Earl of Orford, the First Lord of
the Admiralty; the Earl of Romney and the Duke of Shrewsbury,
Secretaries of State; Robert Livingston, Esq., of New York; and
lastly, Captain Kidd himself.
The ship the Adventure galley was bought and fitted up,
and Kidd sailed away in her to suppress piracy, particularly on
the coast of America. Nothing was heard of him till August, 1698,
when ugly rumours began to get about of piracies committed by
Kidd in the Indian Ocean. In December of the same year a general
pardon was offered to all pirates who should surrender
themselves, with two exceptions—namely, Captain Avery and
Captain Kidd. In May, 1699, Kidd suddenly appeared in a small
vessel at New York, with rich booty. His chief patron, Lord
Bellomont, was now Governor, and was placed in the most awkward
position of having to carry out his orders and arrest Kidd for
piracy and send him in chains to England in H.M.S. Advice,
which ship had been sent specially to New York to carry back
Kidd, Bradish, and other pirates to England.
The trial of Kidd proved a scandal, for someone had to suffer
as scapegoat for the aristocratic company privateers, and the lot
fell to the luckless Kidd. Kidd was charged with piracy and with
murder. The first charge of seizing two ships of the Great Mogul
could have been met by the production of two documents which Kidd
had taken out of these ships, and which, he claimed, proved that
the ships were sailing under commissions issued by the French
East India Company, and made them perfectly lawful prizes. These
commissions Kidd had most foolishly handed over to Lord
Bellomont, and they could not be produced at the trial, although
they had been exhibited before the House of Commons a little
while previously.
It is an extraordinary and tragic fact that these two
documents, so vital to Kidd, were discovered only lately in the
Public Records Office—too late, by some 200 years, to save
an innocent man's life.
As it happened, the charge of which Kidd was hanged for was
murder, and ran thus: "Being moved and seduced by the
instigations of the Devil he did make an assault in and upon
William Moore upon the high seas with a certain wooden bucket,
bound with iron hoops, of the value of eight pence, giving the
said William Moore one mortal bruise of which the aforesaid
William Moore did languish and die." This aforesaid William Moore
was gunner in the Adventure galley, and was mutinous, and
Kidd, as captain, was perfectly justified in knocking him down
and even of killing him; but as the court meant Kidd to "swing,"
this was quite good enough for finding him guilty. The
unfortunate prisoner was executed at Wapping on May 23rd, 1701,
and his body afterwards hanged in chains at Tilbury.
[Pg
184]
A PIRATE BEING HANGED AT EXECUTION DOCK,
WAPPING.
A popular ballad was sung to commemorate the life and death of
Kidd, who, for some reason, was always called Robert Kidd by the
populace. It consists of no less than twenty-four verses, and we
here give fifteen of them:
THE BALLAD OF CAPTAIN KIDD
My name was Robert Kidd,
when I sailed, when I sailed,
My
name was Robert Kidd, when I sailed,
My name was Robert Kidd,
God's
laws I did forbid,
And so wickedly
I did, when I sailed.
[Pg 183]
My parents taught me well,
when I sailed, when I sailed,
My
parents taught me well, when I sailed,
My parents taught me well,
To
shun the gates of hell,
But 'gainst
them I rebelled, when I sailed.
I'd a Bible in my hand, when
I sailed, when I sailed,
I'd a
Bible in my hand, when I sailed,
I'd a Bible in my hand,
By my
father's great command,
And sunk it
in the sand, when I sailed.
I murdered William Moore, as
I sailed, as I sailed,
I murdered
William Moore, as I sailed,
I
murdered William Moore,
And laid
him in his gore,
Not many leagues
from shore, as I sailed.
I was sick and nigh to
death, when I sailed, when I sailed,
I was sick and nigh to death, when I sailed,
I was sick and nigh to death,
And I vowed at every breath,
To walk in wisdom's ways, as I
sailed.
I thought I was undone, as I
sailed, as I sailed,
I thought I
was undone, as I sailed,
I thought
I was undone,
And my wicked glass
had run,
But health did soon
return, as I sailed.
My repentance lasted not, as
I sailed, as I sailed,
My
repentance lasted not, as I sailed,
My repentance lasted not,
My
vows I soon forgot,
Damnation was
my lot, as I sailed.
I spyed the ships from
France, as I sailed, as I sailed,
I
spyed the ships of France, as I sailed,
I spyed the ships from France,
To them I did advance,
And
took them all by chance, as I sailed.
I spyed the ships of Spain,
as I sailed, as I sailed,
I spyed
the ships of Spain, as I sailed,
I
spyed the ships of Spain,
I fired
on them amain,
'Till most of them
was slain, as I sailed.
[Pg
185]
I'd ninety bars of gold, as
I sailed, as I sailed,
I'd ninety
bars of gold, as I sailed,
I'd
ninety bars of gold,
And dollars
manifold,
With riches uncontrolled,
as I sailed.
Thus being o'er-taken at
last, I must die, I must die,
Thus
being o'er-taken at last, I must die,
Thus being o'er-taken at last,
And into prison cast,
And
sentence being passed, I must die.
Farewell, the raging main, I
must die, I must die,
Farewell, the
raging main, I must die,
Farewell,
the raging main,
To Turkey, France
and Spain,
I shall n'er see you
again, I must die.
To Execution Dock I must go,
I must go,
To Execution Dock I must
go,
To Execution Dock,
Will many thousands flock,
But I must bear the shock, and must
die.
Come all ye young and old,
see me die, see me die,
Come all ye
young and old, see me die,
Come all
ye young and old,
You're welcome to
my gold,
For by it I've lost my
soul, and must die.
Take warning now by me, for
I must die, for I must die,
Take
warning now by me, for I must die,
Take warning now by me,
And
shun bad company,
Lest you come to
hell with me, for I die.
KILLING, James.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew, who gave evidence against
him at his trial at Charleston in 1718.
KING, Charles.
Attempted to escape in the Larimore galley, but was
captured and brought into Salem. Tried at Boston with the rest of
Quelch's crew in June, 1704.[Pg 186]
KING, Francis.
One of Captain Quelch's crew captured in the Larimore
galley by Major Sewall, and brought into Salem Harbour on June
11th, 1704. Tried at Boston and condemned to be hanged. Was
reprieved while standing on the gallows.
KING, John.
One of Captain Quelch's crew taken out of the Larimore
galley. Tried at Boston in June, 1704.
KING, Matthew.
Of Jamaica.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Was hanged at Charleston,
South Carolina, on November 8th, 1718, and buried in the marsh
below low-water mark.
KNEEVES, Peter.
Of Exeter in Devon.
Sailed with Captain Charles Harris, and was tried for piracy
with the rest of his crew at Rhode Island in 1723. Hanged at
Newport at the age of 32.
KNIGHT, Captain W. Buccaneer.
In 1686 Knight was cruising off the coast of Peru and Chile
with Swan, Townley, and Davis. At the end of that year, having
got a fair quantity of plunder, he sailed round the Horn to the
West Indies.
KNIGHT, Christopher.
One of Captain Coward's crew. Tried for piracy at Boston in
January, 1690, and found guilty, but afterwards reprieved.
KNOT, Captain.
An old Massachusetts pirate who retired from the sea and was
settled in Boston in 1699. His wife gave[Pg 187]
information to the Governor, the Earl of Bellomont, of the
whereabouts of a pirate called Gillam, who was "wanted."
KOXINGA. His real name was Kuo-hsing Yeh, Koxinga being the
Portuguese version.
The son of a Chinese pirate, Cheng Chih-lung, by a Japanese
mother, he was born in 1623.
From early youth Koxinga was inspired with a hatred of the
Manchus, who had imprisoned his father.
The young pirate soon became so successful in his raids along
the coast of China that the Emperor resorted to the extraordinary
expedient of ordering the inhabitants of more than eighty
seaboard towns to migrate ten miles inland, after destroying
their homes.
There can be no doubt that Koxinga was a thorough-going
cut-throat pirate, worked solely for his own ambitious ends and
to satisfy his revengeful feelings, but the fact that he fought
against the alien conquerors, the Dutch in Formosa, and defeated
them, caused him to be regarded as a hero pirate.
His father was executed at Peking, which only increased his
bitterness against the reigning house. Koxinga made himself what
was, to all intents and purposes, the ruler of Formosa, and the
island became, through him, part of the Chinese Empire.
After his death, which took place in 1662, he received
official canonization.
The direct descendant of Koxinga, the pirate, is one of the
very few hereditary nobles in China.
LACY, Abraham.
Of Devonshire.
Hanged at the age of 21 at Rhode Island in 1723.[Pg
188]
du LAERQUERAC, Captain John.
This Breton pirate was captured in 1537 by a Bristol seaman
called John Wynter. Du Laerquerac, with other pirates from
Brittany, had been holding up ships on their way to the great
fair of St. James at Bristol. On being arrested, he denied that
he had "spoiled" any English ships, but on being further pressed
to confess, admitted that he had taken a few odds and ends, such
as ropes, sailors' clothes, some wine, fish, a gold crown in
money and eleven silver halfpence, as well as four daggers and a
"couverture."
LAFITTE, Captain Jean.
Jean and his brother first appeared in New Orleans in the year
1809. Though blacksmiths by profession, they soon took to
smuggling goods brought by privateersmen and pirates. The
headquarters of this trade was on the Island of Grande Terre in
Barataria Bay. This island was inhabited and governed by
ex-pirates; one Grambo being the acknowledged chief, until he was
shot by Jean Lafitte.
In 1813, the Baratarians were denounced by the Governor of
Louisiana as pirates. This made no difference to the pirate
smugglers, who grew more and more rich and insolent. The Governor
then secured an indictment against Jean and his brother, Pierre,
who retained the very best and most expensive lawyers in the
State to defend them, and they were acquitted. In 1814, war was
declared with England, and Jean was invited by the English to
fight on their side, with the offer of a commission in the navy
and a large sum of money. He refused this, and eventually General
Jackson accepted his offer of the services of himself and his
Baratarians, who proved invaluable in the Battle of Orleans,
serving the guns. He disappeared completely after the war until
1823, when a British sloop of war captured a pirate ship with a
crew[Pg
189] of sixty men under the command of the famous
Lafitte, who was amongst those who fell fighting.
LAGARDE, le Capitaine.
A French filibuster of San Domingo, who in 1684 commanded a
small ship, La Subtille (crew of thirty men and two
guns).
LAMBERT, John.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew. Hanged on Charles River,
Boston Side, on Friday, June 30th, 1704. In a broadside published
at Boston in July of the same year, Lambert's conduct on the
gallows is described thus: "He appeared much hardened and pleaded
much on his Innocency. He desired all men to beware of Bad
Company and seemed to be in great Agony near his Execution."
LANDER, Daniel.
One of Captain Pound's crew.
LANDRESSON, Captain Michel, alias Breha.
Filibuster.
Accompanied Pain in his expedition against St. Augustine in
1683. He was a constant source of annoyance to the Jamaicans. His
ship was called La Trompeuse, but must not be confused
with the famous ship of that name belonging to Hamlin.
Landresson, when he had got a good booty of gold, jewels, cocoa,
etc., would go to Boston to dispose of it to the godly merchants
of New England. In 1684 a Royal proclamation was published in
Massachusetts, warning all Governors that no succour or aid was
to be given to any of the outlaws, but, in spite of this,
Landresson was received with open arms and the proclamations in
the streets torn down.
In 1684 he was at San Domingo, in command of[Pg 190]
La Fortune (crew of 100 men and fourteen guns). At this
time the filibuster was disguised under the alias of Le
Capitaine Breha.
Captured in 1686 by the Armada de Barlorento, and hanged with
several of his companions.
LANE, Captain.
In 1720 Lane was one of Captain England's crew when he took
the Mercury off the coast of West Africa. The
Mercury was fitted up as a pirate ship, named the Queen
Ann's Revenge, and Lane was voted captain of her. Lane left
Captain England and sailed to Brazil, where he took several
Portuguese ships and did a great deal of mischief.
LARIMORE, Captain Thomas, or Larramore.
Commanded the Larimore galley. In 1704 was with the
pirate Quelch and several other pirates, and, among other prizes,
seized a Portuguese ship, the Portugal, from which they
took gold dust, bar and coined gold, and other treasure, and at
the same time "acted divers villainous Murders." For these
Larimore was tried, condemned and hanged at Boston, June 11th,
1704.
LAWRENCE, Nicholas.
Tried for piracy with the rest of Quelch's crew at Boston in
1704.
LAWRENCE, Richard.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew. Tried for piracy at Boston
in 1704.
LAWSON, Edward.
Born in the Isle of Man.
One of Captain Harris's crew. Hanged at Newport, Rhode Island,
in July, 1723, at the age of 20.[Pg 191]
L'ESCAYER. A French filibuster.
In 1685, in company with Grogniet, Davis, and Swan, sacked
Paita and Guayaquil and blockaded Panama. Afterwards sailed with
Townley and his English pirates and again plundered Guayaquil.
Suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the Spaniards at Quibo,
afterwards being rescued by Townley, with whom he and his crew of
buccaneers sacked Granada in Nicaragua.
LESSONE, Captain. French filibuster.
In 1680 he joined Sharp, Coxon, and other English buccaneers
in an attack on Porto Bello. Putting 300 men into canoes, they
landed some sixty miles from the city and marched for four days,
arriving in a weak state through hardship and lack of food, but
in spite of this they took the city on February 17th, 1680.
LEVERCOTT, Sam.
Hanged in 1722 at the Island of St. Kitts, with the rest of
Captain Lowther's crew.
LEVIT, John.
Of North Carolina.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Hanged at White Point,
Charleston, South Carolina, on November 8th, 1723.
LEWIS, James.
After being a prisoner in France, he managed to reach Spain,
and was with Avery when he seized the ship Charles the
Second. Tried for piracy at the Old Bailey in 1696 and
hanged.
LEWIS, Nicholas.
One of Captain George Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts on
March 11th, 1722.[Pg 192]
LEWIS, William.
The greatest triumph and most important exploit of this pirate
was the attacking, and eventually taking, of a powerful French
ship of twenty-four guns.
Lewis enjoyed a longer career than most of the brethren, and
by 1717 he was already one of the leading piratical lights of
Nassau, and his end did not come till ten years later. In 1726,
he spent several months on the coast of South Carolina and
Virginia, trading with the inhabitants the spoils he had taken
from vessels in the Atlantic. He learnt his trade under the
daring pirate Bannister, who was brought into Port Royal, hanging
dead from his own yard-arm. On this occasion, Lewis and another
boy were triced up to the corvette's mizzen-peak like "two living
flags."
Lewis, amongst other accomplishments, was a born linguist, and
could speak with fluency in several languages, even the dialect
of the Mosquito Indians. He was once captured by the Spaniards,
and taken to Havana, but escaped with a few other prisoners in a
canoe, seized a piragua, and with this captured a sloop employed
in the turtle trade, and by gradually taking larger and larger
prizes, Lewis soon found himself master of a fine ship and a crew
of more than fifty men. He renamed her the Morning Star,
and made her his flagship.
On one occasion when chasing a vessel off the Carolina coast,
his fore and main topmasts were carried away. Lewis, in a frenzy
of excitement, clambered up the main top, tore out a handful of
his hair, which he tossed into the wind, crying: "Good devil,
take this till I come." The ship, in spite of her damaged
rigging, gained on the other ship, which they took. Lewis's
sailors, superstitious at the best of times, considered this
intimacy of their captain with Satan a[Pg 193]
little too much, and soon afterwards one of the Frenchmen aboard
murdered Lewis in his sleep.
LEYTON, Francis.
One of Captain Charles Harris's crew. Hanged for piracy at
Newport, Rhode Island, on July 19th, 1723. Age 39.
LIMA, Manuel.
Taken by H.M. sloop Tyne, and hanged at Kingston,
Jamaica, in February, 1823.
LINCH, Captain. Buccaneer.
Of Port Royal, Jamaica.
In 1680 Lionel Wafer, tiring of the life of a civil surgeon at
Port Royal, left Jamaica to go on a voyage with Captains Linch
and Cook to the Spanish Main.
LING, Captain William.
A notorious pirate of New Providence. Captured and hanged
shortly after accepting King George's pardon of 1718.
LINISLER, Thomas.
Of Lancashire.
One of Captain Charles Harris's crew. Hanged at Rhode Island
in 1723 at the age of 21.
LITHGOW, Captain.
Famous in his day for his activities in the West Indies, this
pirate had his headquarters at New Providence in the Bahamas.
LIVER, William, alias Evis.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Hanged for piracy at
Charleston, South Carolina, in 1718.[Pg
194]
LO, Mrs. Hon-cho.
This Chinese woman pirate was the widow of another noted
pirate who was killed in 1921. She took command after the death
of her husband, and soon became a terror to the countryside about
Pakhoi, carrying on the work in the best traditions of the craft,
being the Admiral of some sixty ocean-going junks. Although both
young and pretty, she won a reputation for being a thorough-going
murderess and pirate.
During the late revolution, Mrs. Lo joined General Wong
Min-Tong's forces, and received the rank of full Colonel. After
the war, she resumed her piracies, occasionally for the sake of
variety, surprising and sacking a village or two, and from these
she usually carried away some fifty or sixty girls to sell as
slaves.
Her career ended quite suddenly in October, 1922.
LODGE, Thomas. Poet, buccaneer, and physician.
Born about 1557, he was the son of Sir Thomas Lodge, grocer,
and Lord Mayor of London in 1563. He was educated at Merchant
Taylors' School and Trinity College, Oxford. The poet engaged in
more than one freebooting expedition to Spanish waters between
1584 and 1590, and he tells us that he accompanied Captain Clarke
in an attack on the Azores and the Canaries. "Having," he tells
his friend Lord Hunsdon, "with Captain Clarke made a voyage to
the Islands of Terceras and the Canaries, to beguile the time
with labour, I writ this book, rough, as hatched in the storms of
the ocean, and feathered in the surges of many perilous seas." On
August 26th, 1591, Lodge sailed from Plymouth with Sir Thomas
Cavendish in the Desire, a galleon of 140 tons. The
freebooters sailed to Brazil and attacked the town of[Pg 195]
Santa, while the people were at Mass. They remained there from
December 15th until January 22nd, 1592. Some of the Englishmen,
of whom Lodge was one, took up their quarters in the College of
the Jesuits, and this literary buccaneer spent his time amongst
the books in the library of the Fathers.
Leaving Brazil, the small fleet sailed south to the Straits of
Magellan. While storm-bound amongst the icy cliffs of Patagonia,
Lodge wrote his Arcadian romance "Margarite of America."
From the point of view of plunder, this expedition was a
dismal failure, and the Desire returned and reached the
coast of Ireland on June 11th, 1593. The crew had been reduced to
sixteen, and of these only five were even in tolerable
health.
At the age of 40, Lodge deserted literature and studied
medicine, taking his degree of Doctor of Physics at Avignon in
1600. His last original work was a "Treatise on the Plague,"
published in 1603. After practising medicine with great success
for many years, Thomas Lodge died, it is said, of the plague, in
the year 1625, at the age of 68.
LONG, Zachariah.
Of the Province of Holland.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Hanged at White Point,
Charleston, in 1718, and buried in the marsh below low-water
mark.
LOPEZ, John.
Of Oporto.
This Portuguese pirate sailed in the Royal James, and
was hanged with the rest of the crew at Charleston, South
Carolina, on November 8th, 1718.[Pg 196]
LORD, John.
A soldier. Deserted from Fort Loyal, Falmouth, Maine. Killed
at Tarpaulin Cove in 1689.
LOW, Captain Edward, or Loe.
Born in Westminster, he began in very early life to plunder
the boys of their farthings, and as he grew bigger used to gamble
with the footmen who waited in the lobby of the House of Commons.
While still quite small one of his elder brothers used to carry
little Edward hidden in a basket on his back, and when in a crowd
the future pirate would, from above, snatch the hats and even the
wigs off the heads of passing citizens and secret them in the
basket and so get away with them. The Low family were the
originators of this ingenious and fascinating trick, and for a
time it was most successful, until the people of the city took to
tying on their hats and wigs with bands to prevent their sudden
removal. When he grew up, Ned went to Boston and earned an honest
living as a rigger, but after a while he tired of this and sailed
in a sloop to Honduras to steal log-wood. Here Low quarrelled
with his captain, tried to shoot him, and then went off in an
open boat with twelve other men, and the very next day they took
a small vessel, in which they began their "war against all the
world." Low soon happened to meet with Captain Lowther, the
pirate, and the two agreed to sail in company. This partnership
lasted until May 28th, 1722, when they took a prize, a brigantine
from Boston, which Low went into with a crew of forty-four men.
This vessel they armed with two guns, four swivels, and six
quarter-casks of powder, and saying good-bye to Lowther, sailed
off on their own account. A week later a prize fell into their
hands, which was the first of several. Things soon became too hot
for Low along the American coast and the West Indies, as several
men-of-war were[Pg 197] searching for him; so he sailed to
the Azores, taking on his way a big French ship of thirty-four
guns, and later, in the harbour of St. Michael, he seized several
vessels which he found at anchor there. Here they burnt the
French ship, but let the crew all go, except the cook, who, they
said, "being a greasy fellow would fry well in the fire, so the
poor man was bound to the main mast and burnt in the ship to the
no small derision of Low and his Mirmidons."
Low and his crew now began to treat their prisoners with great
brutality. However, on one occasion the biter was bitten. It
happened that one of the drunken crew, playfully cutting at a
prisoner, missed his mark and accidentally slashed Captain Low
across his lower jaw, the sword opening his cheek and laying bare
his teeth. The surgeon was called, who at once stitched up the
wound, but Low found some fault with the operation, as well he
might, seeing that "the surgeon was tollerably drunk" at the
time. The surgeon's professional pride was outraged by this
criticism of his skill by a layman, and he showed his annoyance
in a ready, if unprofessional, manner, by striking "Low such a
blow with his Fists, that broke out all the Stitches, and then
bid him sew up his Chops himself and be damned, so that the
captain made a very pitiful Figure for some time after." Low took
a large number of prizes, but he was not a sympathetic figure,
and the list of his prizes and brutalities soon becomes irksome
reading. Low, still in the Fancy, and accompanied by
Captain Harris in the Ranger, then sailed back to the West
Indies, and later to South Carolina, where he took several
prizes, one the Amsterdam Merchant (Captain Willard),
belonging to New England, and as Low never missed an opportunity
of showing his dislike of all New Englanders, he sent the captain
away with both his ears cut off and with various other wounds
about his body.[Pg 198]
Low and Harris now made a most unfortunate mistake in giving
chase to a ship which on close quarters proved to be not a
merchant vessel, but H.M.S. Greyhound. After a short
fight, the coward Low slipped away, and left his consort, Harris,
to carry on an unequal contest until he was compelled to
surrender his ship.
Low's cruelties became more and more disgusting, and there can
be little doubt that he was really by this time a lunatic.
In July, 1723, Low took a new ship for himself, naming himself
Admiral, and sporting a new black flag with a red skeleton upon
it. He again cruised off the Azores, the Canaries, and the Guinea
coast, but what the end was of this repulsive, uninteresting, and
bloody pirate has never been known.
LOWTHER, Captain George.
Sailed as second mate from the Thames in the Gambia
Castle, a ship belonging to the African Company, sixteen guns
and a crew of thirty men. On board as passengers were Captain
Massey and a number of soldiers. Arriving at their destination,
Massey quarrelled with the merchants on shore, and, a few days
later, with Lowther, seized the ship, which he renamed the
Delivery. They now went a-pirating, their first prize
being a Boston ship, and cruising about off the Island of
Hispaniola, several more were taken, but nothing very rich.
Lowther quarrelled with Captain Massey, who, being a soldier,
wished to land on some island to plunder the French settlements,
but this was not agreed to, and Massey and his followers were
sent away in a sloop. Life for Lowther now became a series of
successes, prizes being taken, and visits to land being
occasionally made for the crew to enjoy a drunken revel.
Having met with Captain Low, for a while the two[Pg 199]
sailed together, and took the Greyhound, a merchantman,
and several more rich prizes. Lowther now commanded a small
pirate fleet, and styled himself Admiral, his flagship being the
Happy Delivery. While careening their ships in the Gulf of
Matigue, they were suddenly attacked by the natives, and the
pirates barely escaped in a sloop with their lives. Lowther soon
improved himself by seizing a brigantine, and in her shaped his
course to the coast of South Carolina, a favourite resort for the
pirates. Here he attacked an English ship, but was so roughly
handled that he was glad to run his ship ashore and escape.
In 1723 he steered for Newfoundland, taking many small vessels
there, and returning to the West Indies. While cleaning his ship
at the Isle of Blanco, he was suddenly attacked by a South Sea
Company's ship, the Eagle, and the pirates were compelled
to surrender. Lowther and a dozen of his crew escaped by climbing
out of the cabin window, and, reaching the island, hid themselves
in the woods. All were caught except Lowther and three men and a
boy. He was shortly afterwards found lying dead with a pistol by
his side, and was supposed to have shot himself. Three of his
crew who were caught were carried to St. Christopher's, and there
tried for piracy and hanged.
LUDBURY, Captain. Buccaneer.
Sailed in company with Captains Prince and Harrison in
October, 1670, ascended the San Juan River in Nicaragua with a
party of 170 men, and surprised and plundered the city of
Granada.
LUKE, Captain Matthew.
This Italian pirate had his headquarters at Porto Rico, and
specialized in attacking English ships. In[Pg 200]
1718 he took four of these and murdered all the crews. In May,
1722, Luke made a terrible mistake. Perceiving what he thought to
be a merchant ship, he attacked her, to find out all too late
that she was an English man-of-war, the Lauceston. Luke
and his crew were taken to Jamaica and hanged. One of his crew
confessed to having killed twenty English sailors with his own
hands.
LUSHINGHAM, Captain.
In 1564 this pirate was at Berehaven in the South of Ireland,
having just sold a cargo of wine out of a Spanish prize to the
Lord O'Sullivan, when some of Queen Elizabeth's ships arrived in
the bay in search of pirates. By Lord O'Sullivan's help the
pirates escaped, but Lushingham was killed "by a piece of
ordnance" as he was in the act of waving his cap towards the
Queen's ships.
LUSSAN, Le Sieur Raveneau de.
This French filibuster was a man of much better birth and
education than the usual buccaneer. Also, he was the author of a
most entertaining book recording his adventures and exploits as a
buccaneer, called "Journal du Voyage fait a la Mer de sud avec
les Flibustiers de l'Amerique en 1684."
Pressure from his creditors drove de Lussan into buccaneering,
as being a rapid method of gaining enough money to satisfy them
and to enable him to return to the fashionable life he loved so
well in Paris. De Lussan was, according to his own account, a man
of the highest principles, and very religious. He never allowed
his crew to molest priests, nuns, or churches. After taking a
Spanish town, the fighting being over, he would lead his crew of
pirates to attend Mass in the church, and when this
was[Pg
201] done—and not until then—would he
allow the plundering and looting to begin.
De Lussan was surprised and grieved to find that his Spanish
prisoners had a most exaggerated idea of the brutality of the
buccaneers, and on one occasion when he was conducting a fair
young Spanish lady, a prisoner, to a place of safety, he was
overwhelmed when he discovered that the reason of her terror was
that she believed she was shortly to be eaten by him and his
crew. To remedy this erroneous impression, it was the custom of
the French commander to gather together all his prisoners into
the church or the plaza, and there to give them a lecture on the
true life and character of the buccaneers.
The student who wishes to learn more about the adventures of
de Lussan can do so in his book. There he will read, amongst
other interesting events, particulars about the filibuster's
surprising and romantic affair with the beautiful and wealthy
Spanish widow who fell so violently in love with him.
It happened on one occasion that Raveneau and his crew, having
taken a town on the West Coast of South America after a somewhat
bloody battle, had, as usual, attended Mass in the Cathedral,
before setting out to plunder the place.
Entering one of the chief houses in the town, de Lussan
discovered the widow of the late town treasurer dissolved in
tears, upon which the tender buccaneer hastened, with profound
apologies, discreetly to withdraw, but calling again next day to
offer his sympathy he found the widow had forgotten all about the
late treasurer, for she had fallen violently in love with her
gallant, handsome, and fashionably dressed visitor.
After various adventures, de Lussan arrived safely back in
Paris with ample means in his possession not only to satisfy his
creditors, but also to enable him to live there as a gentleman of
fortune and fashion.
MACHAULY, Daniel, or Maccawly, or McCawley.
A Scotch pirate. One of Captain Gow's crew. Hanged at
Execution Dock at Wapping on June 11th, 1725.
MACKDONALD, Edward.
One of Captain George Lowther's crew in the Happy
Delivery. Hanged at St. Kitts on March 11th, 1722.
MACKET, Captain, or Maggott.
On March 23rd, 1679, Macket, who commanded a small vessel of
fourteen tons, with a crew of twenty men, was at Boca del Toro
with Coxon, Hawkins, and other famous buccaneers, having just
returned from the sacking of Porto Bello.
Shortly afterwards the fleet sailed to Golden Island, off the
coast of Darien, and from thence set out to attack Santa Maria
and Panama.
MACKINTOSH, William.
Of Canterbury in Kent.
One of Captain Roberts's crew. Hanged at Cape Coast Castle in
1722 at the age of 21.
MAGNES, William, or Magnus.
Born at Minehead in Somersetshire in 1687. Quartermaster of
the Royal Fortune (Captain Bartholomew Roberts). Tried for
piracy at Cape Coast Castle, and hanged in chains in 1718, for
taking and plundering the King Solomon.
MAIN, William.
One of Captain Roberts's crew. Hanged in April, 1722, at the
age of 28 years.[Pg 203]
MAIN, William.
Boatswain to Captain Bartholomew Roberts in the Royal
Fortune. Was blown up, the explosion being caused by one of
the crew firing his pistol into some gunpowder when the ship was
taken by H.M.S. Swallow in 1722.
MAINTENON, Marquis de.
Arrived in the West Indies from France in 1676. In 1678
commanded La Sorcière, a frigate, and, in company
with other French filibusters from Tortuga Island, cruised off
the coast of Caracas. He ravaged the islands of Margarita and
Trinidad. He met with but little success, and soon afterwards his
fleet scattered.
MAINWARING, Captain Henry.
A notorious Newfoundland pirate.
On June 4th, 1614, when off the coast of that island, in
command of eight vessels, he plundered the fishing fleet,
stealing what provisions and stores he was in need of, also
taking away with him all the carpenters and mariners he wanted
for his own fleet.
It was his custom, when taking seamen, to pick one out of
every six. In all he took 400 men, some of whom joined him
willingly, while others were "perforstmen." Sailing across the
Atlantic to the coast of Spain, Mainwaring took a Portuguese ship
and stole from out of her a good store of wine, and out of a
French prize 10,000 dried fish. A few years later this pirate was
pardoned and placed in command of a squadron and sent to the
Barbary coast in an unsuccessful attempt to drive out the pirates
who were settled there. Here he may well have met with his old
friend Captain Peter Easton, who had also been a Newfoundland
pirate, but in 1613 had joined the Barbary corsairs.[Pg
204]
el MAJORCAM, Captain Antonio.
At one time an officer in the Spanish Navy. Became a notorious
West Indian pirate, but about 1824 he retired from the sea to
become a highwayman on shore.
MANSFIELD, Jo.
One of Captain Bartholomew Roberts's men. Must not be confused
with Edward Mansfield, the famous buccaneer.
A native of the Orkney Islands. At one time was a highwayman.
Later on deserted from the Rose, man-of-war. Volunteered
to join the pirates at the island of Dominica, and was always
keen to do any mischief. He was a bully and a drunkard.
When Roberts's ship was attacked by H.M.S. Swallow and
had surrendered after a sharp fight, Mansfield, who had been
below all the while, very drunk, came staggering and swearing up
on deck, with a drawn cutlass in his hand, crying out to know who
would go on board the prize with him, and it was some time before
his friends could persuade him of the true condition of
things.
At his trial at Cape Coast Castle he said little in his
defence, but pleaded that the cause of his backsliding was
drunkenness. Hanged in the year 1722 at the age of 30.
MANSFIELD, Captain Edward, or Mansvelt.
A Dutchman born in the Island of Curacao.
He was the chief of the buccaneers, and at his death was
succeeded by Henry Morgan. He was the first buccaneer to cross
the Isthmus of Darien to the Pacific Ocean. Noted for his charm
of manner, he was very popular with the buccaneers of all
nationalities. In 1663 he commanded a brigantine
carrying[Pg 205] four guns and a crew of sixty men.
Was chosen admiral of the fleet of buccaneers that gathered at
Bleufields Bay in Jamaica in November, 1665, at the invitation of
Modyford, the Governor, when he appointed young Henry Morgan to
be his vice-admiral. This fleet was to sail and attempt to seize
the Island of Curacao, and consisted of fifteen ships and a mixed
crew of 500 buccaneers. On the way there they landed in Cuba,
although England was at peace with Spain, and marched forty miles
inland, to surprise and sack the town of Sancti Spiritus, from
which they took a rich booty.
Mansfield, "being resolved never to face the Governor of
Jamaica until he had done some service to the King," next made a
very daring attack on the Island of Old Providence, which the
Spaniards had fortified and used as a penal settlement. This was
successful, and Mansfield, with great humanity, landed all the
prisoners on the mainland of America. For a long while it had
been Mansfield's dream to make this island a permanent home of
the buccaneers, as it was close to the Spanish Main, with the
towns of Porto Bello and Vera Cruz, and on the trade route of the
Spanish galleons, taking their rich cargoes to Spain.
Mansfield's next exploit was to ascend the San Juan River and
to sack Granada, the capital of Nicaragua. From there he coasted
south along Costa Rica, burning plantations, smashing the images
in the churches, ham-stringing cows and mules, and cutting down
fruit-trees.
He returned in June, 1665, to Port Royal, with a rich booty.
For this inexcusable attack on a country at peace with England,
Governor Modyford mildly reproved him!
Mansfield, now an old man, died suddenly at the[Pg 206]
Island of Tortuga, off Hispaniola, when on a visit to the French
pirates there. Another account says that he was captured by the
Spaniards and taken by them to Porto Bello, and there put to
death.
MARTEEN, Captain David. Buccaneer.
In 1665 he had his headquarters in Jamaica.
MARTEL, Captain John.
An old Jamaican privateer. After the Peace of Utrecht, being
out of employment, he took to piracy. His career as a pirate was
very successful so long as it lasted. Cruising off Jamaica, Cuba,
and other islands, he continued taking ship after ship, with one
particularly rich prize, a West African ship containing
gold-dust, elephants' teeth, and slaves. His original command was
a sloop of eight guns and a crew of eighty men, but after a short
while he commanded a small fleet consisting of two ships (each
armed with twenty guns), three sloops, and several armed prizes.
With these Martel entered a bay in a small island called Santa
Cruz, near Porto Rico, to careen and refit. This was in December,
1716, but news had leaked out of the pirate's whereabouts, and
soon there arrived on the scene Captain Hume, of H.M.S.
Scarborough. Martel tried to escape, but his ship ran
aground, and many of the pirates were killed, but a few, with
Martel, got ashore and hid on the island. None of them were heard
of again except Martel, and it was supposed that they had died of
hunger. In the space of three months Martel took and plundered
thirteen vessels, all of considerable size. Two years later he
was back in New Providence Island, when Governor Rogers arrived
with King George's offer of pardon to the pirates, and Martel was
one of those who surrendered.[Pg 207]
MARTIN, John.
Hanged in Virginia in 1718 with the rest of Blackbeard's
crew.
MASSEY, Captain John.
As a lieutenant, he "served with great applause" in the army
in Flanders, under the command of the Duke of Marlborough.
He afterwards sailed from the Thames in the Gambia
Castle, a ship of the African Company, in command of a
company of soldiers which was being sent to garrison the fort.
The merchants of Gambia were supposed to victual this garrison,
but the rations supplied were considered by Massey to be quite
insufficient. He quarrelled with the Governor and merchants, and
took his soldiers back on board the ship, and with Lowther, the
second mate, seized the ship and turned pirate. Lowther and
Massey eventually quarrelled, for the latter, being a soldier,
"was solicitous to move in his own sphere"—that is, he
wanted to land his troops and plunder the French West Indian
settlements. In the end Massey and a few followers were permitted
to go off in a captured sloop, and in this sailed for Port Royal,
Jamaica. Arrived there, "with a bold countenance he went to the
Governor" and told a long and plausible tale of how he had
managed to escape from the pirates at the first opportunity. He
deceived the sympathetic Governor, and was sent with Captain Laws
to hunt for Lowther. Returning to Jamaica without finding
Lowther, he was granted a "certificate of his surrender," and
came to England as a passenger.
On reaching London, he wrote a narrative of the whole
affair—or as much as he deemed wise—to the African
Company, who, receiving the story with far less credulity than
the Governor of Jamaica, returned him answer "that he should be
fairly hanged," and[Pg 208] very shortly afterwards he was, at
Tyburn on July 26th, 1723.
MAY, William.
A London mariner. One of Captain Avery's crew, left behind in
Madagascar very sick. A negro, hearing that an Englishman was
there, came to him and nursed and fed him. This negro spoke good
English, having lived at Bethnal Green.
May was promoted afterwards to be captain of a ship in the Red
Sea. He was described by a shipmate as being "a true cock of the
Game and an old sportsman." Hanged at London in 1696.
MAZE, Captain William, or Mace, or Maise.
A notorious pirate; particularly mentioned in the royal
warrant authorizing Captain Kidd to go and capture certain
"wicked and ill-disposed persons."
Arrived in command of a big ship at New York in 1699, loaded
with booty taken in the Red Sea.
McCARTHY, Captain Dennis.
Of New Providence, Bahama Islands.
This pirate and prize-fighter was one of those who refused
King George's pardon in 1717, and was eventually hanged by his
late fellow-pirates. On the gallows he made the following dying
speech:
"Some friends of mine have often said I should die in my
shoes, but I would rather make them liars." And so, kicking off
his shoes, he was hanged.
MEGHLYN, Hans van.
A pirate of Antwerp, who owned a vessel of forty-five tons,
painted black with pitch, and carried a crew of thirty. In 1539
he was cruising off Whitstable, on the lookout for vessels
entering or leaving the[Pg 209] Thames. Cromwell had been
warned by Vaughan to look out for this pirate ship.
de MELTON.
A well-known pirate in the sixteenth century. Was with
Kellwanton when he was captured in the Isle of Man in 1531, but
de Melton managed to escape with some of the crew and get away in
their ship to Grimsby.
MELVIN, William.
This Scotch pirate was hanged, with other members of Gow's
crew, at Wapping in June, 1725.
MENDOZA, Antonio.
A Spaniard from San Domingo.
Mention is made of this unlucky mariner in a very interesting
document which Mr. A. Hyatt Verrill was fortunate enough to
acquire quite recently in the island of St. Kitts. It runs as
follows:
"An assize and generall Gaole delivrie held at St.
Christophers Colonie from ye nineteenthe daye of Maye to ye 22n.
daye off ye same Monthe 1701 Captaine Josias Pendringhame
Magustrate &c. The Jurye of our Soveraigne Lord the Kinge Doe
presente Antonio Mendoza of Hispaniola and a subjecte of ye Kinge
of Spain for that ye said on or about ye 11 Daye of Apryl 1701
feloneousely delibyrately and malliciousley and encontrarye to ye
laws off Almightie God and our Soveraigne Lord the Kinge did in
his cuppes saucely and arrogantyly speak of the Governour and
Lord the Kinge and bye force and armies into ye tavernne of John
Wilkes Esq. did entre and there did Horrible sware and cursse and
did felonoslye use threatteninge words and did strike and cutte
most murtherouslye severalle subjects of our Soveraigne Lord the
Kinge. Of w'h Indictment he[Pg 210] pleadeth not Guiltie
butte onne presente Master Samuel Dunscombe mariner did sware
that said Antonio Mendoza was of his knowenge a Blood-thirste
piratte and Guiltie of diabolicalle practises & ye Grande
Inquest findinge yt a trewe bill to be tryd by God and ye
Countrye w'h beinge a Jurie of 12 men sworne finde him Guiltie
& for the same he be adjuged to be carryd to ye Fort Prison
to have both his earres cutt close by his head and be burnet
throughe ye tongue with an Hot iron and to be caste chained in ye
Dungon to awaitte ye plesyure of God and Our Soveraigne Lord the
Kinge."
MEYEURS.
A South Sea pirate, killed when taking part with Captain
Williams in a raid against an Arab settlement at Bayu.
MICHEL, Capitaine. Filibuster.
His ship, La Mutine, was armed with forty-four guns and
carried a crew of 200 men.
MICHEL LE BASQUE. A French filibuster.
In company with the butcher L'Onnais and 650 other buccaneers,
he pillaged the town of Maracaibo in Venezuela, in the year 1667.
A very successful but ruthless buccaneer.
don MIGUEL.
In 1830 commanded a squadron of small pirate vessels off the
Azores. After seizing a Sardinian brig off St. Michael's, was
himself captured by a British frigate.
MIGUEL, Francesco.
Hanged at Kingston, Jamaica, in 1823.[Pg
211]
MILLER, John.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew. Hanged at Boston on June
30th, 1704. A broadsheet published at the time, describing the
scenes at the execution, tells us that Miller "seemed much
concerned, and complained of a great Burden of Sins to answer
for, expressing often: 'Lord, what shall I do to be Saved?'"
MILLER, Thomas.
Quartermaster on the pirate ship Queen Ann's Revenge,
and killed on November 22nd, 1718.
MISNIL, Sieur du.
A French filibuster who commanded a ship, La Trompeuse
(one hundred men and fourteen guns).
MISSON, Captain.
This unique pirate came of an ancient French family of
Provence. He was the youngest of a large family, and received a
good education. At the age of 15 he had already shown unusual
distinction in the subjects of humanity and logic, and had passed
quite tolerably in mathematics. Deciding to carve a fortune for
himself with his sword, he was sent to the Academy at Angiers for
a year, and at the conclusion of his military studies his father
would have bought him a commission in a regiment of musketeers.
But young Misson had been reading books of travel, and begged so
earnestly to be allowed to go to sea that his father got him
admitted as a volunteer on the French man-of-war Victoire,
commanded by Monsieur Fourbin. Joining his ship at Marseilles,
they cruised in the Mediterranean, and the young volunteer soon
showed great keenness in his duties, and lost no
opportunity[Pg 212] of learning all he could about
navigation and the construction of ships, even parting with his
pocket-money to the boatswain and the carpenter to receive
special instruction from them.
Arriving one day at Naples, Misson obtained permission from
the captain to visit Rome, a visit that eventually changed his
whole career.
It happened that while in Rome the young sailor met a priest,
a Signor Caraccioli, a Dominican, who held most unclerical views
about the priesthood; and, indeed, his ideas on life in general
were, to say the least, unorthodox. A great friendship was struck
up between these two, which at length led the priest to throw off
his habit and join the crew of the Victoire. Two days out
from port they met and fought a desperate hand-to-hand engagement
with a Sallee pirate, in which the ex-priest and Misson both
distinguished themselves by their bravery. Misson's next voyage
was in a privateer, the Triumph, and, meeting one day an
English ship, the Mayflower, between Guernsey and Start
Point, the merchantman was defeated after a gallant
resistance.
Rejoining the Victoire, Misson sailed from Rochelle to
the West Indies, and Caraccioli lost no opportunity of preaching
to young Misson the gospel of atheism and communism, and with
such success that the willing convert soon held views as extreme
as those of his teacher. These two apostles now began to talk to
the crew, and their views, particularly on the rights of private
property, were soon held by almost all on board. A fortunate
event happened just then to help the new "cause." Meeting with an
English man-of-war, the Winchester, off the island of
Martinique, a smart engagement took place between the two ships,
at the very commencement of which Captain Fourbin and three of
the officers on the French ship were killed. The fight ended by
the English ship blowing[Pg 213] up, and an era of speech-making
may be said to have now begun.
Firstly, Signor Caraccioli, stepping forward, made a long and
eloquent address to Misson, inviting him to become captain of the
Victoire, and calling upon him to follow the example of
Alexander the Great with the Persians, and that of the Kings
Henry IV. and VII. of England, reminding him how Mahomet, with
but a few camel-drivers, founded the Ottoman Empire, also how
Darius, with a handful of companions, got possession of Persia.
Inflamed by this speech, young Misson showed what he could do,
when, calling all hands up on deck, he made his first, but, as
events proved, by far from last, speech. The result was a triumph
of oratory, the excited French sailors crying out: "Vive le
Capitaine Misson et son Lieutenant le Scavant Caraccioli!"
Misson, returning thanks in a few graceful words, promised to do
his utmost as their commander for their new marine republic. The
newly elected officers retiring to the great cabin, a friendly
discussion began as to their future arrangements. The first
question that arose was to choose what colours they should sail
under. The newly elected boatswain, Mathew le Tondu, a brave but
simple mariner, advised a black one, as being the most
terrifying. This brought down a full blast of eloquence from
Caraccioli, the new lieutenant, who objected that "they were no
pirates, but men who were resolved to affect the Liberty which
God and Nature gave them," with a great deal about "guardians of
the Peoples Rights and Liberties," etc., and, gradually becoming
worked up, gave the wretched boatswain, who must have regretted
his unfortunate remark, a heated lecture on the soul, on shaking
"the Yoak of Tyranny" off their necks, on "Oppression and
Poverty" and the miseries of life under these conditions as
compared to those of[Pg 214] "Pomp and Dignity." In the end he
showed that their policy was not to be one of piracy, for pirates
were men of no principle and led dissolute lives; but
their lives were to be brave, just, and innocent, and
their cause the cause of Liberty; and therefore, instead of a
black flag, they should live under a white ensign, with the motto
"For God and Liberty" embroidered upon it.
The simple sailors, debarred from these councils, had gathered
outside the cabin, but were able to overhear this speech, and at
its conclusion, carried away by enthusiasm, loud cries went up of
"Liberty! Liberty! We are free men! Vive the brave Captain Misson
and the noble Lieutenant Caraccioli!" Alas! it is impossible in
the space of this work to do justice to the perfectly wonderful
and idealistic conditions of this pirate crew. Their speeches and
their kind acts follow each other in fascinating profusion. We
can only recommend those who feel disposed to follow more closely
the history of these delightful pirates, to read the account
printed in English in 1726, if they are fortunate enough to come
by a copy.
The first prize taken by these pirates under the white flag
was an English sloop commanded by one Captain Thomas Butler, only
a day's sail out from St. Kitts. After helping themselves to a
couple of puncheons of rum and a few other articles which the
pirates needed, but without doing any unkindness to the crew, nor
stripping them, as was the usual custom of pirates on such
occasions, they let them go, greatly to the surprise of Captain
Butler, who handsomely admitted that he had never before met with
so much "candour" in any similar situation, and to further
express his gratitude he ordered his crew to man ship, and at
parting called for three rousing British cheers for the good
pirate and his men, which were enthusiastically
given.[Pg
215]
Sailing to the coast of Africa, Misson took a Dutch ship, the
Nieuwstadt, of Amsterdam. The cargo was found to consist
of gold dust and seventeen slaves. In the latter Captain Misson
recognized a good text for one of his little sermons to his crew,
so, calling all hands on deck, he made the following observations
on the vile trade of slavery, telling his men:
"That the Trading for those of our own Species, cou'd never be
agreeable to the Eyes of divine Justice. That no Man had Power of
the Liberty of another; and while those who profess a more
enlightened Knowledge of the Deity, sold Men like Beasts; they
prov'd that their Religion was no more than Grimace, and that
they differ'd from the Barbarians in Name only, since their
Practice was in nothing more humane. For his Part, and he hop'd
he spoke the Sentiments of all his brave Companions, he had not
exempted his Neck from the galling Yoak of Slavery, and asserted
his own Liberty, to enslave others. That however, these Men, were
distinguished from the Europeans by their Colour, Customs, or
religious Rites, they were the Work of the same omnipotent Being,
and endued with equal Reason. Wherefore, he desired they might be
treated like Freemen (for he wou'd banish even the Name of
Slavery from among them) and be divided into Messes among them,
to the end they might the sooner learn their language, be
sensible of the Obligations they had to them, and more capable
and zealous to defend that Liberty they owed to their Justice and
Humanity." This speech was met with general applause, and once
again the good ship Victoire rang with cries of "Vive le
Capitaine Misson!" The negroes were freed of their irons, dressed
up in the clothes of their late Dutch masters, and it is
gratifying to read that "by their Gesticulations, they shew'd
they were gratefully sensible of their being delivered from their
Chains." But[Pg 216] alas! a sad cloud was creeping
insidiously over the fair reputation of these super-pirates. Out
of the last slave ship they had taken, a number of Dutch sailors
had volunteered to serve with Misson and had come aboard as
members of his crew. Hitherto no swearword was ever heard, no
loose or profane expression had pained the ears of Captain Misson
or his ex-priestly lieutenant. But the Dutch mariners began to
lead the crew into ways of swearing and drunkenness, which,
coming to the captain's notice, he thought best to nip these
weeds in the bud; so, calling both French and Dutch upon deck,
and desiring the Dutch captain to translate his remarks into the
Dutch language, he told them that—
"Before he had the Misfortune of having them on Board, his
Ears were never grated with hearing the Name of the great Creator
profaned, tho' he, to his Sorrow, had often since heard his own
Men guilty of that Sin, which administer'd neither Profit nor
Pleasure, and might draw upon them a severe Punishment: That if
they had a just Idea of that great Being, they wou'd never
mention him, but they wou'd immediately reflect on his Purity,
and their own Vileness. That we so easily took Impression from
our Company, that the Spanish Proverb says: 'Let a Hermit and a
Thief live together, the Thief wou'd become Hermit, or the Hermit
thief': That he saw this verified in his ship, for he cou'd
attribute the Oaths and Curses he had heard among his brave
Companions, to nothing but the odious Example of the Dutch: That
this was not the only Vice they had introduced, for before they
were on Board, his Men were Men, but he found by their beastly
Pattern they were degenerated into Brutes, by drowning that only
Faculty, which distinguishes between Man and Beast, Reason. That
as he had the Honour to command them, he could not see them run
into these[Pg 217] odious Vices without a sincere
Concern, as he had a paternal Affection for them, and he should
reproach himself as neglectful of the common Good, if he did not
admonish them; and as by the Post which they had honour'd him, he
was obliged to have a watchful Eye over their general Interest;
he was obliged to tell them his Sentiments were, that the Dutch
allured them to a dissolute Way of Life, that they might take
some Advantage over them: Wherefore, as his brave Companions, he
was assured, wou'd be guided by reason, he gave the Dutch Notice,
that the first whom he catch'd either with an Oath in his Mouth
or Liquor in his Head, should be brought to the Geers, whipped
and pickled, for an Example to the rest of his Nation: As to his
Friends, his Companions, his Children, those gallant, those
generous, noble and heroick Souls he had the Honour to command,
he entreated them to allow a small Time for Reflection, and to
consider how little Pleasure, and how much Danger, might flow
from imitating the Vices of their Enemies; and that they would
among themselves, make a Law for the Suppression of what would
otherwise estrange them from the Source of Life, and consequently
leave them destitute of his Protection."
This speech had the desired effect, and ever afterwards, when
any one of the crew had reason to mention the name of his
captain, he never failed to add the epithet "Good" before it.
These chaste pirates soon took and plundered many rich
merchant ships, but always in the most gentlemanly manner, so
that none failed to be "not a little surprised at the Regularity,
Tranquillity and Humanity of these new-fashioned Pyrates." From
out of one of these, an English vessel, they took a sum of
£60,000, but during the engagement the captain was killed.
Poor Captain Misson was broken-hearted over this unfortunate
mishap, and to show as[Pg 218] best he could his regret, he
buried the body on shore, and, finding that one of his men was by
trade a stonecutter, raised a monument over the grave with,
engraved upon it, the words: "Here lies a gallant English-Man."
And at the conclusion of a very moving burial service he paid a
final tribute by "a triple Discharge of 50 small Arms and fired
Minute Guns."
Misson now sailed to the Island of Johanna in the Indian
Ocean, which became his future home. Misson married the sister of
the local dusky queen, and his lieutenant led to the altar her
niece, while many of the crew also were joined in holy wedlock to
one or more ladies of more humble social standing.
Already Misson has received more space than he is entitled to
in a work of reference of this kind, but his career is so full of
charming incidents that one is tempted to continue to unseemly
length. Let it suffice to say that for some years Misson made
speeches, robbed ships, and now and again, when unavoidably
driven to it, would reluctantly slaughter his enemies.
Finally, Misson took his followers to a sheltered bay in
Madagascar, and on landing there made a little speech, telling
them that here they could settle down, build a town, that here,
in fact, "they might have some Place to call their own; and a
Receptacle, when Age or Wounds had render'd them incapable of
Hardship, where they might enjoy the Fruits of their Labour, and
go to their Graves in Peace."
This ideal colony was called Libertatia, and was run on
strictly Socialistic lines, for no one owned any individual
property; all money was kept in a common treasury, and no hedges
bounded any man's particular plot of land. Docks were made and
fortifications set up. Soon Misson had two ships built, called
the Childhood and the Liberty, and these were sent
for a[Pg
219] voyage round the island, to map and chart the
coast, and to train the released slaves to be efficient sailors.
A Session House was built, and a form of Government arranged. At
the first meeting Misson was elected Lord Conservator, as they
called the President, for a term of three years, and during that
period he was to have "all the Ensigns of Royalty to attend him."
Captain Tew, the English pirate, was elected Admiral of the Fleet
of Libertatia, Caraccioli became Secretary of State, while the
Council was formed of the ablest amongst the pirates, without
distinction of nation or colour. The difficulty of language, as
French, English, Portuguese, and Dutch were equally spoken, was
overcome by the invention of a new language, a kind of Esperanto,
which was built up of words from all four. For many years this
ideally successful and happy pirate Utopia flourished; but at
length misfortunes came, one on top of the other, and a sudden
and unexpected attack by the hitherto friendly natives finally
drove Misson and a few other survivors to seek safety at sea,
but, overtaken by a hurricane, their vessel foundered, and Misson
and all his crew were drowned; and thus ended the era of what may
be called "piracy without tears."
He was the mildest-manner'd
man
That ever scuttled ship or cut
a throat.
Byron.
MITCHELL, Captain.
An English buccaneer of Jamaica, who flourished in 1663.
MITCHELL, John.
Of Shadwell Parish, London.
One of the crew of the Ranger. Condemned to death, but
reprieved and sold to the Royal African Company.[Pg
220]
M'KINLIE, Peter. Irish pirate.
Boatswain in a merchant ship which sailed from the Canaries to
England in the year 1765. On board were three passengers, the
adventurous Captain Glass and his wife and daughter. One night
M'Kinlie and four other mutineers murdered the commander of the
vessel, Captain Cockeran, and Captain Glass and his family, as
well as all the crew except two cabin-boys. After throwing their
bodies overboard, M'Kinlie steered for the coast of Ireland, and
on December 3rd arrived in the neighbourhood of the harbour of
Ross. Filling the long-boat with dollars, weighing some two tons,
they rowed ashore, after killing the two boys and scuttling the
ship. On landing, the pirates found they had much more booty than
they could carry, so they buried 250 bags of dollars in the sand,
and took what they could with them to a village called
Fishertown. Here they regaled themselves, while one of the
villagers relieved them of a bag containing 1,200 dollars. Next
day they walked into Ross, and there sold another bag of dollars,
and with the proceeds each man bought a pair of pistols and a
horse and rode to Dublin. In the meanwhile the ship, instead of
sinking, was washed up on the shore. Strong suspicion being
roused in the countryside, messengers were sent post-haste to
inform the Lords of the Regency at Dublin that the supposed
pirates were in the city. Three of them were arrested in the
Black Bull Inn in Thomas Street, but M'Kinlie and another pirate,
who had already taken a post-chaise for Cork, intending to embark
there on a vessel for England, were arrested on the way.
The five pirates were tried in Dublin, condemned and executed,
their bodies being hung in chains, on December 19th,
1765.[Pg
221]
MONTBARS, The Exterminator.
A native of Languedoc. He joined the buccaneers after reading
a book which recorded the cruelty of the Spaniards to the
American natives, and this story inspired him with such a hatred
of all Spaniards that he determined to go to the West Indies,
throw in his lot with the buccaneers, and to devote his whole
life and energies to punishing the Spaniards. He carried out his
resolve most thoroughly, and treated all Spaniards who came into
his power with such cruelty that he became known all up and down
the Spanish Main as the Exterminator. Eventually Montbars became
a notorious and successful buccaneer or pirate chief, having his
headquarters at St. Bartholomew, one of the Virgin Islands, to
which he used to bring all his prisoners and spoils taken out of
Spanish ships and towns.
MONTENEGRO.
A Columbian. One of Captain Gilbert's crew in the pirate
schooner Panda. Hanged at Boston in 1835.
de MONT, Francis.
Captured in South Carolina in 1717. Tried at Charleston, and
convicted of taking the Turtle Dove and other vessels in
the previous July. Hanged in June, 1717.
MOODY, Captain Christopher.
A notorious pirate. Very active off the coast of Carolina,
1717, with two ships under his command. In 1722 was with Roberts
on board the Royal Fortune, being one of his chief men or
"Lords." Taken prisoner, and tried at Cape Coast Castle, and
hanged in chains at the age of 28.[Pg 222]
MOORE. Gunner.
A gunner aboard Captain Kidd's ship the Adventure. When
Kidd's mutinous crew were all for attacking a Dutch ship, Kidd
refused to allow them to, and Moore threatened the captain, who
seized a bucket and struck Moore on the head with it, the blow
killing him. Kidd was perfectly justified in killing this
mutinous sailor, but eventually it was for this act that he was
hanged in London.
MORGAN, Captain.
This pirate must not be confused with the buccaneer, Sir Henry
Morgan. Little is known about him except that he was with Hamlin,
the French pirate, in 1683, off the coast of West Africa, and
helped to take several Danish and English ships. Soon the pirates
quarrelled over the division of their plunder and separated into
two companies, the English following Captain Morgan in one of the
prizes.
MORGAN, Colonel Blodre, or Bledry.
This buccaneer was probably a relation of Sir Henry Morgan. He
was an important person in Jamaica between 1660 and 1670. At the
taking of Panama by Henry Morgan in 1670 the Colonel commanded
the rearguard of 300 men. In May, 1671, he was appointed to act
as Deputy Governor of Providence Island by Sir James
Modyford.
MORGAN, Lieut.-Colonel Edward. Buccaneer.
Uncle and father-in-law of Sir Henry Morgan.
In 1665, when war had been declared on Holland, the Governor
of Jamaica issued commissions to several pirates and buccaneers
to sail to and attack the Dutch islands of St. Eustatius, Saba,
and[Pg
223] Curacao. Morgan was put in command of ten ships
and some 500 men; most of them were "reformed prisoners," while
some were condemned pirates who had been pardoned in order to let
them join the expedition.
Before leaving Jamaica the crews mutinied, but were pacified
by the promise of an equal share of all the spoils that should be
taken. Three ships out of the fleet slipped away on the voyage,
but the rest arrived at St. Kitts, landed, and took the fort.
Colonel Morgan, who was an old and corpulent man, died of the
heat and exertion during the campaign.
MORGAN, Lieut.-Colonel Thomas.
Sailed with Colonel Edward Morgan to attack St. Eustatius and
Saba Islands, and after these were surrendered by the Dutch,
Thomas Morgan was left in charge.
In 1686 he sailed in command of a company of buccaneers to
assist Governor Wells, of St. Kitts, against the French. The
defence of the island was disgraceful, and Morgan's company was
the only one which displayed any courage or discipline, and most
of them were killed or wounded, Colonel Morgan himself being shot
in both legs.
Often these buccaneer leaders altered their titles from
colonel to captain, to suit the particular enterprise on which
they were engaged, according if it took place on sea or land.
MORGAN, Sir Henry. Buccaneer.
This, the greatest of all the "brethren of the coast," was a
Welshman, born at Llanrhymmy in Monmouthshire in the year 1635.
The son of a well-to-do farmer, Robert Morgan, he early took to
the seafaring life. When quite a young man Morgan[Pg 224]
went to Barbadoes, but afterwards he settled at Jamaica, which
was his home for the rest of his life.
Morgan may have been induced to go to the West Indies by his
uncle, Colonel Morgan, who was for a time Deputy Governor of
Jamaica, a post Sir Henry Morgan afterwards held.
Morgan was a man of great energy, and must have possessed
great power of winning his own way with people. That he could be
absolutely unscrupulous when it suited his ends there can be
little doubt. He was cruel at times, but was not the inhuman
monster that he is made out to be by Esquemeling in his "History
of the Bucaniers." This was largely proved by the evidence given
in the suit for libel brought and won by Morgan against the
publishers, although Morgan was, if possible, more indignant over
the statement in the same book that he had been kidnapped in
Wales and sold, as a boy, and sent to be a slave in Barbadoes.
That he could descend to rank dishonesty was shown when,
returning from his extraordinary and successful assault on the
city of Panama in 1670, to Chagres, he left most of his faithful
followers behind, without ships or food, while he slipped off in
the night with most of the booty to Jamaica. No doubt, young
Morgan came to Jamaica with good credentials from his uncle, the
Colonel, for the latter was held in high esteem by Modyford, then
Governor of Barbadoes, who describes Colonel Morgan as "that
honest privateer."
Colonel Morgan did not live to see his nephew reach the
pinnacle of his success, for in the year 1665 he was sent at the
head of an expedition to attack the Dutch stronghold at St.
Eustatius Island, but he was too old to stand the hardships of
such an expedition and died shortly afterwards.
By this time Morgan had made his name as[Pg 225] a
successful and resolute buccaneer by returning to Port Royal from
a raiding expedition in Central America with a huge booty.
In 1665 Morgan, with two other buccaneers, Jackman and Morris,
plundered the province of Campeachy, and then, acting as
Vice-Admiral to the most famous buccaneer of the day, Captain
Mansfield, plundered Cuba, captured Providence Island, sacked
Granada, burnt and plundered the coast of Costa Rica, bringing
back another booty of almost fabulous wealth to Jamaica. In this
year Morgan married a daughter of his uncle, Colonel Morgan.
In 1668, when 33 years of age, Morgan was commissioned by the
Jamaican Government to collect together the privateers, and by
1669 he was in command of a big fleet, when he was almost killed
by a great explosion in the Oxford, which happened while
Morgan was giving a banquet to his captains. About this time
Morgan calmly took a fine ship, the Cour Volant, from a
French pirate, and made her his own flagship, christening her the
Satisfaction.
In 1670 the greatest event of Morgan's life took
place—the sacking of Panama. First landing a party which
took the Castle of San Lorenzo at the mouth of the Chagres River,
Morgan left a strong garrison there to cover his retreat and
pushed on with 1,400 men in a fleet of canoes up the river on
January 9th, 1671. The journey across the isthmus, through the
tropical jungle, was very hard on the men, particularly as they
had depended on finding provisions to supply their wants on the
way, and carried no food with them. They practically starved
until the sixth day, when they found a barn full of maize, which
the fleeing Spaniards had neglected to destroy. On the evening of
the ninth day a scout reported he had seen the steeple of a
church in Panama. Morgan, with that touch of genius which so
often brought him[Pg 226] success, attacked the city from a
direction the Spaniards had not thought possible, so that their
guns were all placed where they were useless, and they were
compelled to do just what the buccaneer leader wanted them to
do—namely, to come out of their fortifications and fight
him in the open. The battle raged fiercely for two hours between
the brave Spanish defenders and the equally brave but almost
exhausted buccaneers. When at last the Spaniards turned and ran,
the buccaneers were too tired to immediately follow up their
success, but after resting they advanced, and at the end of three
hours' street fighting the city was theirs. The first thing
Morgan now did was to assemble all his men and strictly forbid
them to drink any wine, telling them that he had secret
information that the wine had been poisoned by the Spaniards
before they left the city. This was, of course, a scheme of
Morgan's to stop his men from becoming drunk, when they would be
at the mercy of the enemy, as had happened in many a previous
buccaneer assault.
Morgan now set about plundering the city, a large part of
which was burnt to the ground, though whether this was done by
his orders or by the Spanish Governor has never been decided.
After three weeks the buccaneers started back on their journey to
San Lorenzo, with a troop of 200 pack-mules laden with gold,
silver, and goods of all sorts, together with a large number of
prisoners. The rearguard on the march was under the command of a
kinsman of the Admiral, Colonel Bledry Morgan.
On their arrival at Chagres the spoils were divided, amidst a
great deal of quarrelling, and in March, 1671, Morgan sailed off
to Port Royal with a few friends and the greater part of the
plunder, leaving his faithful followers behind without ships
or[Pg
227] provisions, and with but £10 apiece as
their share of the spoils.
On May 31st, 1671, the Council of Jamaica passed a vote of
thanks to Morgan for his successful expedition, and this in spite
of the fact that in July, a year before, a treaty had been
concluded at Madrid between Spain and England for "restraining
depredations and establishing peace" in the New World.
In April, 1672, Morgan was carried to England as a prisoner in
the Welcome frigate. But he was too popular to be
convicted, and after being acquitted was appointed Deputy
Governor of Jamaica, and in November, 1674, he was knighted and
returned to the West Indies. In 1672 Major-General Banister, who
was Commander-in-Chief of the troops in Jamaica, writing to Lord
Arlington about Morgan, said: "He (Morgan) is a well deserving
person, and one of great courage and conduct, who may, with His
Majesty's pleasure, perform good public service at home, or be
very advantageous to this island if war should again break forth
with the Spaniards."
While Morgan was in England he brought an action for libel
against William Crooke, the publisher of the "History of the
Bucaniers of America." The result of this trial was that Crooke
paid £200 damages to Morgan and published a long and
grovelling apology.
Morgan was essentially a man of action, and a regular life on
shore proved irksome to him, for we learn from a report sent home
by Lord Vaughan in 1674 that Morgan "frequented the taverns of
Port Royal, drinking and gambling in unseemly fashion," but
nevertheless the Jamaican Assembly had voted the
Lieutenant-Governor a sum of £600 special salary. In 1676
Vaughan brought definite charges against Morgan and another
member of the Council, Robert Byndloss, of giving aid to certain
Jamaica pirates.[Pg 228]
Morgan made a spirited defence and, no doubt largely owing to
his popularity, got off, and in 1678 was granted a commission to
be a captain of a company of 100 men.
The Governor to succeed Vaughan was Lord Carlisle, who seems
to have liked Morgan, in spite of his jovial "goings on" with his
old buccaneer friends in the taverns of Port Royal, and in some
of his letters speaks of Morgan's "generous manner," and hints
that whatever allowances are made to him "he will be a
beggar."
In 1681 Sir Thomas Lynch was appointed to be Governor, and
trouble at once began between him and his deputy. Amongst the
charges the former brought against Morgan was one of his having
been overheard to say, "God damn the Assembly!" for which he was
suspended from that body.
In April, 1688, the King, at the urgent request of the Duke of
Albemarle, ordered Morgan to be reinstated in the Assembly, but
Morgan did not live long to enjoy his restored honours, for he
died on August 25th, 1688.
An extract from the journal of Captain Lawrence Wright,
commander of H.M.S. Assistance, dated August, 1688,
describes the ceremonies held at Port Royal at the burial of
Morgan, and shows how important and popular a man he was thought
to be. It runs:
"Saturday 25. This day about eleven hours noone Sir Henry
Morgan died, & the 26th was brought over from Passage-fort to
the King's house at Port Royall, from thence to the Church, &
after a sermon was carried to the Pallisadoes & there buried.
All the forts fired an equal number of guns, wee fired two &
twenty & after wee & the Drake had fired, all the
merchant men fired."
Morgan was buried in Jamaica, and his will, which[Pg 229]
was filed in the Record Office at Spanish Town, makes provision
for his wife and near relations.
MORRICE, Humphrey.
Of New Providence, Bahama Islands.
Hanged at New Providence in 1718 by his lately reformed
fellow-pirates, and on the gallows taxed them with "pusillanimity
and cowardice" because they did not rescue him and his
fellow-sufferers.
MORRIS, Captain John.
Of Jamaica.
A privateer until 1665, he afterwards became a buccaneer with
Mansfield. Took part in successful raids in Central America,
plundering Vildemo in the Bay of Campeachy; he also sacked
Truxillo, and then, after a journey by canoe up the San Juan
River to take Nicaragua, surprised and plundered the city of
Granada in March, 1666.
MORRIS, Captain Thomas.
One of the pirates of New Providence, Bahamas, who, on pardon
being offered by King George in 1717, escaped, and for a while
carried on piracy in the West Indian Islands. Caught and hanged a
few years afterwards.
MORRIS, John.
One of Captain Bartholomew Roberts's crew. When the Royal
Fortune surrendered to H.M.S. Swallow, Morris fired
his pistol into the gunpowder in the steerage and caused an
explosion that killed or maimed many of the pirates.
MORRISON, Captain.
A Scotch pirate, who lived on Prince Edward Island.
For an account of his career, see Captain Nelson.[Pg
230]
MORRISON, William.
Of Jamaica.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Hanged at White Point,
Charleston, South Carolina, on November 8th, 1718, and buried in
the marsh below low-water mark.
MORTON, Philip.
Gunner on board "Blackbeard's" ship, the Queen Ann's
Revenge. Killed on November 22nd, 1718, in North Carolina,
during the fight with Lieutenant Maynard.
MULLET, James, alias Millet.
Of London.
One of the crew of the Royal James, in which vessel
Major Stede Bonnet played havoc with the shipping along the
coasts of South Carolina and New England. Hanged at Charleston in
1718.
MULLINS, Darby.
This Irish pirate was born in the north of Ireland, not many
miles from Londonderry. Being left an orphan at the age of 18, he
was sold to a planter in the West Indies for a term of four
years.
After the great earthquake at Jamaica in 1691, Mullins built
himself a house at Kingston and ran it as a
punch-house—often a very profitable business when the
buccaneers returned to Port Royal with good plunder. This
business failing, he went to New York, where he met Captain Kidd,
and was, according to his own story, persuaded to engage in
piracy, it being urged that the robbing only of infidels, the
enemies of Christianity, was an act, not only lawful, but one
highly meritorious.[Pg 231]
At his trial later on in London his judges did not agree with
this view of the rights of property, and Mullins was hanged at
Execution Dock on May 23rd, 1701.
MUMPER, Thomas.
An Indian of Mather's Vineyard, New England.
Tried for piracy with Captain Charles Harris and his men, but
found to be "not guilty."
MUNDON, Stephen.
Of London.
Hanged for piracy at Newport, Rhode Island, on July 19th,
1723, at the age of 20.
MUSTAPHA. Turkish pirate.
In 1558 he sailed, with a fleet of 140 vessels, to the Island
of Minorca. Landed, and besieged the fortified town of Ciudadda,
which at length surrendered. The Turks slew great numbers of the
inhabitants, taking the rest away as slaves.
NAU, Captain Jean David, alias Francis L'Ollonais.
A Frenchman born at Les Sables d'Ollone.
In his youth he was transported as an indented labourer to the
French Island of Dominica in the West Indies. Having served his
time L'Ollonais went to the Island of Hispaniola, and joined the
buccaneers there, living by hunting wild cattle and drying the
flesh or boucan.
He then sailed for a few voyages as a sailor before the mast,
and acted with such ability and courage that the Governor of
Tortuga Island, Monsieur de la[Pg 232] Place, gave him the
command of a vessel and sent him out to seek his fortune.
At first the young buccaneer was very successful, and he took
many Spanish ships, but owing to his ferocious treatment of his
prisoners he soon won a name for cruelty which has never been
surpassed. But at the height of this success his ship was wrecked
in a storm, and, although most of the pirates got ashore, they
were at once attacked by a party of Spaniards, and all but
L'Ollonais were killed. The captain escaped, after being wounded,
by smearing blood and sand over his face and hiding himself
amongst his dead companions. Disguised as a Spaniard he entered
the city of Campeachy, where bonfires and other manifestations of
public relief were being held, to express the joy of the citizens
at the news of the death of their terror, L'Ollonais.
Meeting with some French slaves, the fugitive planned with
them to escape in the night in a canoe, this being successfully
carried out, they eventually arrived back at Tortuga, the pirate
stronghold. Here the enterprising captain stole a small vessel,
and again started off "on the account," plundering a village
called De los Cagos in Cuba. The Governor of Havana receiving
word of the notorious and apparently resurrected pirate's arrival
sent a well-armed ship to take him, adding to the ship's company
a negro executioner, with orders to hang all the pirate crew with
the exception of L'Ollonais, who was to be brought back to Havana
alive and in chains.
Instead of the Spaniards taking the Frenchman, the opposite
happened, and everyone of them was murdered, including the negro
hangman, with the exception of one man, who was sent with a
written message to the Governor to tell him that in future
L'Ollonais would kill every Spaniard he met with.
Joining with a famous filibuster, Michael de
Basco,[Pg
233] L'Ollonais soon organized a more important
expedition, consisting of a fleet of eight vessels and 400 men.
Sailing to the Gulf of Venezuela in 1667, they entered the lake,
destroying the fort that stood to guard the entrance. Thence
sailing to the city of Maracaibo they found all the inhabitants
had fled in terror. The filibusters caught many of the
inhabitants hiding in the neighbouring woods, and killed numbers
of them in their attempts to force from the rest the
hiding-places of their treasure. They next marched upon and
attacked the town of Gibraltar, which was valiantly defended by
the Spaniards, until the evening, when, having lost 500 men
killed, they surrendered. For four weeks this town was pillaged,
the inhabitants murdered, while torture and rape were daily
occurrences. At last, to the relief of the wretched inhabitants,
the buccaneers, with a huge booty, sailed away to Corso Island, a
place of rendezvous of the French buccaneers. Here they divided
their spoil, which totalled the great sum of 260,000 pieces of
eight, which, when divided amongst them, gave each man above one
hundred pieces of eight, as well as his share of plate, silk, and
jewels.
Also, a share was allotted for the next-of-kin of each man
killed, and extra rewards for those pirates who had lost a limb
or an eye. L'Ollonais had now become most famous amongst the
"Brethren of the Coast," and began to make arrangements for an
even more daring expedition to attack and plunder the coast of
Nicaragua. Here he burnt and pillaged ruthlessly, committing the
most revolting cruelties on the Spanish inhabitants. One example
of this monster's inhuman deeds will more than suffice to tell
of. It happened that during an attack on the town of San Pedros
the buccaneers had been caught in an ambuscade and many of them
killed, although the Spaniards had at last turned and fled. The
pirates[Pg
234] killed most of their prisoners, but kept a few to
be questioned by L'Ollonais so as to find some other way to the
town. As he could get no information out of these men, the
Frenchman drew his cutlass and with it cut open the breast of one
of the Spaniards, and pulling out his still beating heart he
began to bite and gnaw it with his teeth like a ravenous wolf,
saying to the other prisoners, "I will serve you all alike, if
you show me not another way."
Shortly after this, many of the buccaneers broke away from
L'Ollonais and sailed under the command of Moses van Vin, the
second in command. L'Ollonais, in his big ship, sailed to the
coast of Honduras, but ran his vessel on a sand-bank and lost
her. While building a new but small craft on one of the Las
Pertas Islands, they cultivated beans and other vegetables, and
also wheat, for which they baked bread in portable ovens which
these French buccaneers carried about with them. It took them six
months to build their long-boat, and when it was finished it
would not carry more than half the number of buccaneers. Lots
were drawn to settle who should sail and who remain behind.
L'Ollonais steered the boat towards Cartagena, but was caught by
the Indians, as described by Esquemeling. "Here suddenly his
ill-fortune assailed him, which of a long time had been reserved
for him as a punishment due to the multitude of horrible crimes,
which in his licentious and wicked life he had committed. For God
Almighty, the time of His divine justice being now already come,
had appointed the Indians of Darien to be the instruments and
executioners thereof."
These "instruments of God," having caught L'Ollonais, tore him
in pieces alive, throwing his body limb by limb into the fire and
his ashes into the air, to the intent "no trace nor memory might
remain of such an infamous inhuman creature."[Pg
235]
Thus died a monster of cruelty, who would, had he lived
to-day, have been confined in an asylum for lunatics.
NEAL.
A fisherman of Cork.
Mutinied in a French ship sailing from Cork to Nantes in 1721,
and, under the leadership of Philip Roche, murdered the captain
and many of the crew and became a pirate.
NEFF, William.
Born at Haverhill, Massachusetts, in 1667.
A soldier, one of the guard at Fort Loyal, Falmouth, Maine.
Deserted in 1689 and went to sea with the pirate Captain
Pound.
NELSON, Captain.
Born on Prince Edward Island, where his father had a grant of
land for services rendered in the American war. He was a wealthy
man, a member of the Council and a Colonel of the Militia. In
order to set his son up in life he bought him a captaincy in the
Militia and a fine farm, where young Nelson married and settled
down. Buying a schooner, he used to sail to Halifax with cargoes
of potatoes and fruit. He seems to have liked these trips in
which he combined business with pleasure, for we learn that on
these visits to Halifax he "was very wild, and drank and
intrigued with the girls in an extravagant manner." Getting into
disgrace on Prince Edward Island, and losing his commission, he
went to live near Halifax, and became a lieutenant in the Nova
Scotia Fencibles, while his wife remained on the island to look
after his estates, which brought him in £300 a year.
Meeting with a Scotchman called Morrison, together they bought a
"pretty little New York battleship," mounting ten guns. Manning
this dangerous toy with a crew of ninety[Pg 236]
desperate characters, the partners went "on the account," and
began well by taking a brig belonging to Mr. Hill, of
Rotherhithe, which they took to New York, and there sold both
ship and cargo.
They next cruised in the West Indies, taking several English
and Dutch ships, the crews of which they treated with the
greatest brutality.
Landing on St. Kitts Island, they burnt and plundered two
Dutch plantations, murdering the owners and slaves. Sailing north
to Newfoundland they took ten more vessels, which they sold in
New York. After further successful voyages in the West Indies and
off the coast of Brazil, Nelson felt the call of home ties
becoming so strong that he ventured to return to Prince Edward
Island to visit his wife and family, where no one dared to molest
him.
By this time Nelson had been a pirate for three years and had,
by his industry, won for himself a fortune worth £150,000,
but his Scotch partner, Morrison, being a frugal soul, had in the
meantime saved an even larger sum. Eventually their ship was
wrecked in a fog on a small barren island near Prince Edward
Island, and Morrison and most of the crew were drowned, but
Nelson and a few others were saved. At last he reached New York,
where he lived the rest of his life in peaceful happiness with
his wife and family.
NICHOLLS, Thomas, alias Nicholas.
Of London.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew in the Royal James.
Tried for piracy at Charleston on November 8th, 1718, and found
"not guilty."
NONDRE, Pedro.
Hanged at Kingston, Jamaica, in February, 1823. At the time of
execution it was observed that he was[Pg 237]
covered with the marks of deep wounds. On the scaffold he wept
bitterly. An immensely heavy man, he broke the rope, and had to
be hanged a second time.
NORMAN, Captain. Buccaneer.
Served under Morgan in 1670, and after the fall of Chagres
Fort, Norman was left in charge with 500 men to hold it, while
Morgan crossed the isthmus to attack Panama. Norman soon "sent
forth to sea two boats to exercise piracy." These hoisted Spanish
colours and met a big Spanish merchant ship on the same day. They
chased the ship, which fled for safety into the Chagres River,
only to be caught there by Norman. She proved a valuable prize,
being loaded with all kinds of provisions, of which the garrison
was in sore need.
NORTH, Captain Nathaniel.
Born in Bermuda, and by profession a lawyer, Captain North was
a man of remarkable ability, and in his later calling of piracy
he gained great notoriety, and was a born leader of men. His
history has been written fully, and is well worth reading. He had
many ups and downs in his early seafaring life in the West
Indies; being no less than three times taken by the pressgang,
each time escaping. He served in Dutch and Spanish privateers,
and eventually rose to being a pirate captain, making his
headquarters in Madagascar. From here he sailed out to the East
Indies, and preyed on the ships of the East India Company.
Several times he was wrecked, once he was the only survivor, and
swam ashore at Madagascar stark naked. The unusual sight of a
naked Englishman spread terror amongst the natives who were on
the beach, and they all fled into the jungle except one, a woman,
who from previous personal[Pg 238] experience knew that
this was but a human being and not a sea devil. She supplied him
with clothes, of a sort, and led him to the nearest pirate
settlement, some six miles away. On another occasion when the
pirates were having a jollification ashore, having left their
Moorish prisoners on the ship at anchor, North gave the prisoners
a hint to clear off in the night with the ship, otherwise they
would all be made slaves. This friendly hint was acted upon, and
in the morning both ship and prisoners had vanished. The pirates
having lost their ship took to the peaceful and harmless life of
planters, with North as their ruler. He won the confidence of the
natives, who abided by his decision in all quarrels and
misunderstandings. Occasionally North and his men would join
forces with a neighbouring friendly tribe and go to war, North
leading the combined army, and victory always resulted. The call
of piracy was too strong in his bones to resist, and after three
years planting he was back to sea and the Jolly Roger once more.
On one occasion he seized the opportunity, when in the
neighbourhood of the Mascarenhas Islands, to go ashore and visit
the Catholic priest and confess, and at the same time made
suitable arrangements for his children to be educated by the
Church. North evidently truly repented his former sins, for he
returned to resume his simple life on his plantation. On arriving
home he found the settlement in an uproar. He soon settled all
the disputes, appeased the natives, and before long had this
garden-city of pirates back in its previous peaceful and happy
state. Beyond an occasional little voyage, taking a ship or two,
or burning an Arab village, North's career as a pirate may be
considered to have terminated, as, indeed, his life was shortly
afterwards, being murdered in his bed by a treacherous native.
North's friends the pirates, shocked at this cold-blooded murder,
waged a ruthless war on the[Pg 239] natives for seven
years: thus in their simple way thinking to revenge the loss of
this estimable man, who had always been the natives' best
friend.
NORTON, George.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew. Tried for piracy in June,
1704, at the Star Tavern at Boston.
NUTT, John.
One of Captain John Phillip's original crew of five pirates in
the Revenge in 1723. Nutt was made master or
navigator.
OCHALI. Barbary renegade.
In 1511 he sailed from Algiers with a fleet of twenty-two
vessels and 1,700 men to raid Majorca. The Moors landed at Soller
and pillaged it. Before they could get back to their ship, the
pirates were attacked by the Majorcans, headed by Miguel
Angelats, and completely routed, 500 of them being killed.
ODELL, Samuel.
Taken prisoner by the pirate Captain Teach on November 21st,
1718, and on the very next day retaken by Lieutenant Maynard.
Odell received no less than seventy wounds in the fight, but
recovered, and was carried to Virginia to stand his trial for
piracy, and was acquitted.
OUGHTERLAUNEY, Thomas.
Acted as pilot in the Royal Fortune. Took an active
part in taking and plundering the King Solomon on the West
Coast of Africa in 1721.
Was tried for piracy with the rest of Roberts's crew, when one
witness, Captain Trahern, deposed that the[Pg 240]
prisoner dressed himself up in the captain's best suit of
clothes, his new tye wig, and called loudly for a bottle of wine,
and then, very arrogantly, gave orders as to the steering of the
captured ship.
Hanged at Cape Coast Castle in 1722.
PAIN, Captain.
A Bahaman privateer who in 1683 turned pirate and attacked St.
Augustine in Florida under French colours. Being driven off by
the Spaniards, he had to content himself with looting some
neighbouring settlements. On returning to New Providence, the
Governor attempted, but without success, to arrest Pain and his
crew. Pain afterwards appeared in Rhode Island, and when the
authorities tried to seize him and his ship, he got off by
exhibiting an old commission to hunt for pirates given him a long
while before by Sir Thomas Lynch. When the West Indies became too
hot for him, Pain made the coast of Carolina his
headquarters.
PAINE, Captain Peter, alias Le Pain. A French
buccaneer.
He brought into Port Royal in 1684 a merchant ship, La
Trompeuse. Pretending to be the owner, he sold both ship and
cargo, which brought about great trouble afterwards between the
French and English Governments, because he had stolen the ship on
the high seas. He was sent from Jamaica under arrest to France
the same year, to answer for his crimes.
PAINTER, Peter.
This Carolina pirate retired and lived at Charleston. In
August, 1710, he was recommended for the position of public
powder-receiver, but was rejected by[Pg 241]
the Upper House. "Mr. Painter Having committed Piracy, and not
having his Majesties Pardon for the same, Its resolved he is not
fit for that Trust." Which only goes to show how hard it was for
a man to live down a thing like piracy.
PARDAL, Captain Manuel Rivero.
Known to the Jamaicans as "the vapouring admiral of St. Jago,"
because in July, 1670, he had nailed a piece of canvas to a tree
on the Jamaican coast with this curious challenge written both in
English and Spanish:
"I, Captain Manuel Rivero Pardal, to the chief of the squadron
of privateers in Jamaica. I am he who this year have done that
which follows. I went on shore at Caimanos, and burnt 20 houses
and fought with Captain Ary, and took from him a catch laden with
provisions and a canoe. And I am he who took Captain Baines and
did carry the prize to Cartagena, and now am arrived to this
coast, and have burnt it. And I come to seek General Morgan, with
2 ships of 20 guns, and having seen this, I crave he would come
out upon the coast and seek me, that he might see the valour of
the Spaniards. And because I had no time I did not come to the
mouth of Port Royal to speak by word of mouth in the name of my
king, whom God preserve. Dated the 5th of July, 1670."
PARKER, Captain William. Buccaneer.
Just after the city of Porto Bello had been made, as the
Spanish thought, impregnable, by the building of the massive
stone fort of San Jerome, the daring Parker, with but 200 English
desperadoes, took the place by storm, burning part of the town
and getting quickly and safely away with a huge amount of
booty.[Pg
242]
PARKINS, Benjamin.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew in the brigantine
Charles. Tried at Boston for piracy in 1704.
PARROT, James.
One of Quelch's crew, who turned King's evidence at the trial
at Boston in 1704, and thus escaped hanging.
PATTERSON, Neal.
Of Aberdeen.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew in the Royal James.
Hanged at Charleston, South Carolina, on November 8th, 1718, and
buried in the marsh.
PATTISON, James.
Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704.
PEASE, Captain.
A low down, latter-day South Sea pirate. Arrived in an armed
ship with a Malay crew at Apia in Samoa in June, 1870, and
rescued the pirate Bully Hayes, who was under arrest of the
English Consul. He pleased the British inhabitants of the island
by his display of loyalty to Queen Victoria by firing a salute of
twenty-one guns on her Majesty's birthday.
PELL, Ignatius.
Boatswain of the Royal James, Major Stede Bonnet's
ship. Turned King's evidence at trial of Bonnet and his crew at
Charleston, Carolina, in 1718.
PENNER, Major.
We have been able to find out nothing of this pirate except
that he was at New Providence Island in 1718[Pg 243]
and took the King's pardon for pirates. He seems to have returned
to the old life and was killed soon after, though how this came
about is not recorded.
PERKINS, Benjamin.
One of Quelch's crew. Captured at Marblehead in 1704.
PERRY, Daniel.
Of Guernsey.
Tried for piracy in 1718 at Charleston, South Carolina, and
found guilty. Hanged on November 8th at White Point. Buried in
the marsh below low-water mark.
PETERSON, Captain.
Of Newport, Rhode Island.
In 1688 he arrived at Newport in a "barkalonga" armed with ten
guns and seventy men. The Governor prosecuted him for piracy, but
the grand jury, which consisted of friends and neighbours of
Peterson, threw out the bill. Among other charges, Peterson was
accused of selling some hides and elephants' teeth to a Boston
merchant for £57, being part of the booty he had previously
taken out of prizes in the West Indies.
PETERSON, Erasmus.
Tried for piracy with the rest of Captain Quelch's crew at
Boston. Was hanged there on June 30th, 1704. When standing on the
gallows "He cryed of injustice done him and said, 'It is very
hard for so many lives to be taken away for a little Gold.' He
said his peace was made with God, yet he found it extremely hard
to forgive those who had wronged him. He told the Executioner 'he
was a strong man[Pg 244] and Prayed to be put out of his
misery as soon as possible.'"
PETERSON, John.
A Swedish pirate, one of Gow's crew. He was hanged at Wapping
in June, 1725.
PETIT, Captain. French filibuster.
Of San Domingo.
In 1634 was in command of Le Ruze, crew of forty men
and four guns.
PETTY, William.
Born at Deptford.
A sailmaker in Captain Roberts's Royal Fortune when the
King Solomon was taken and plundered in West Africa.
Petty, as sailmaker, had to see that all the sails and canvas
aboard the prizes were removed to the pirate ship. Hanged at the
age of 30.
PHELIPP, Captain William.
In 1533 a Portuguese merchant, Peter Alves, engaged Phelipp to
pilot his ship, the Santa Maria Desaie, from Tenby to
Bastabill Haven. Off the Welsh coast the ship was attacked by a
pirate vessel called the Furtuskewys, with a crew of
thirty-five pirates. Alves was put ashore on the Welsh coast, and
the two ships then sailed to Cork, where the ship and her cargo
were sold to the mayor for 1,524 crowns.
Alves complained to the King of England, and orders were sent
to the Mayor of Cork, Richard Gowllys, to give up the ship, which
he refused to do, but by way of excusing his actions he explained
that he thought the ship was a Scotch one and not a
Portuguese.[Pg 245]
PHILLIPS, Captain.
In 1723 this noted pirate took a sloop, the Dolphin, of
Cape Ann, on the Banks of Newfoundland. The crew of the
Dolphin were compelled by Phillips to join the pirates.
Amongst the prisoners was a fisherman, John Fillmore. Finding no
opportunity to escape, Fillmore with another sailor, Edward
Cheesman, and an Indian, suddenly seized and killed Phillips and
the two other chief pirates. The rest of the crew agreeing, the
ship was taken to Boston.
PHILIPS, James.
Of the Island of Antigua.
Formerly of the Revenge, and afterwards in the Royal
Fortune (Captain Roberts). When the Royal Fortune
surrendered in 1722 to H.M.S. Swallow, Philips seized a
lighted match and attempted to blow up the ship, swearing he
would "send them all to Hell together," but was prevented by the
master, Glasby. Hanged at the age of 35.
PHILLIPS, John.
A carpenter by trade, he sailed from the West Country for
Newfoundland in a ship that was captured by the pirate Anstis in
the Good Fortune. Phillips soon became reconciled to the
life of a pirate, and, being a brisk fellow, he was appointed
carpenter to the ship. Returning to England he soon found it
necessary to quit the country again, and he shipped himself on
board a vessel at Topsham for Newfoundland. On arriving at Peter
Harbour he ran away, and hired himself as a splitter to the
Newfoundland cod fishery.
On the night of August 29th, 1723, with four others, he stole
a vessel in the harbour and sailed away. Phillips was chosen
captain. Articles were now[Pg 246] drawn up and were
sworn to upon a hatchet, because no Bible could be found on
board. Amongst other laws was the punishment of "40 stripes
lacking one, known as Moses's law, to be afflicted for striking a
fellow-pirate." The last law of the nine casts a curious light on
these murderers; it runs: "If at any time you meet with a prudent
Woman, that Man that offers to meddle with her, without her
Consent, shall suffer present Death." The pirates, fortified by
these laws, met with instant success, taking several fishing
vessels, from which they augmented their small crew by the
addition of several likely and brisk seamen. Amongst these they
had the good fortune to take prisoner an old pirate called John
Rose Archer, who had served his pirate apprenticeship under the
able tuition of the famous Blackbeard, and who they at once
promoted to be quartermaster. This quick promotion caused trouble
afterwards, for some of the original crew, particularly carpenter
Fern, resented it. The pirates next sailed to Barbadoes, that
happy hunting ground, but for three months never a sail did they
meet with, so that they were almost starving for want of
provisions, being reduced to a pound of dried meat a day amongst
ten of them.
At last they met with a French vessel, a Martinico ship, of
twelve guns, and hunger drove them to attack even so big a ship
as this, but the sight of the Black flag so terrified the French
crew that they surrendered without firing a shot. After this,
they took several vessels, and matters began to look much
brighter. Phillips quickly developed into a most accomplished and
bloody pirate, butchering his prisoners on very little or on no
provocation whatever. But even this desperate pirate had an
occasional "qualm of conscience come athwart his stomach," for
when he captured a Newfoundland vessel and was about to scuttle
her, he found out that[Pg 247] she was the property of a Mr.
Minors of that island, from whom they stole the original vessel
in which they went a-pirating, so Phillips, telling his
companions "We have done him enough injury already," ordered the
vessel to be repaired and returned to the owner. On another
occasion, they took a ship, the master of which was a "Saint" of
New England, by name Dependance Ellery, who gave them a pretty
chase before being overhauled, and so, as a punishment, the
"Saint" was compelled to dance the deck until he fell down
exhausted.
This pirate's career ended with a mutiny of his unruly crew,
Phillips being tripped up and then thrown overboard to drown off
Newfoundland in April, 1724.
During the nine months of Phillips's command as a pirate
captain, he accounted for more than thirty ships.
PHILLIPS, Joseph.
One of Teach's crew. Hanged in Virginia in 1718.
PHILLIPS, William.
Born at Lower Shadwell.
Boatswain in the King Solomon, a Guinea merchant ship.
This ship, while lying at anchor in January, 1721, was attacked
by a boatful of pirates from Bartholomew Roberts's ship, the
Royal Fortune. The captain of the King Solomon
fired a musket at the approaching boat, and called upon his crew
to do the same, but Phillips called for quarter and persuaded the
rest of the crew to lay down their arms and surrender the ship.
Phillips eagerly joined the pirates and signed the articles, and
was "very forward and brisk" in helping to rob his own ship of
provisions and stores.
At his trial at Cape Coast Castle, he pleaded, as nearly all
the prisoners did, that he was compelled to sign the pirates'
articles, which were offered to him[Pg 248] on a dish, on which
lay a loaded pistol beside the copy of the articles.
Found guilty and hanged in April, 1722, within the flood marks
at Cape Coast Castle, in his 29th year.
PHIPS, Richard.
An English soldier who deserted from Fort Loyal, Falmouth,
Maine, in 1689. Wounded by a bullet in the head at Tarpaulin
Cove. Taken to Boston Prison, where he died.
PICKERING, Captain Charles.
Commanded the Cinque Ports galley, sixteen guns, crew
of sixty-three men, and accompanied Dampier on his voyage in
1703. Died off the coast of Brazil in the same year.
PIERSE, George.
Tried for piracy along with the rest of the crew of the
brigantine Charles, at Boston, in 1704.
PITMAN, John.
One of Captain Quelch's crew. Tried for piracy at Boston in
1704.
POLEAS, Pedro. Spanish pirate.
Co-commander with Captain Johnson of a pirate sloop, the
Two Brothers. In March, 1731, took a ship, the John and
Jane (Edward Burt, master), south of Jamaica, on board of
which was a passenger, John Cockburn, who afterwards wrote a book
relating his adventures on a journey on foot of 240 miles on the
mainland of America.
PORTER, Captain.
A West Indian pirate, who commanded a sloop, and, in company
with a Captain Tuckerman in another sloop, came one day into
Bennet's Key in Hispaniola.[Pg 249] The two captains
were but beginners at piracy, and finding the great Bartholomew
Roberts in the bay, paid him a polite visit, hoping to pick up a
few wrinkles from the "master." This scene is described by
Captain Johnson, in his "Lives of the Pirates," when Porter and
his friend "addressed the Pyrate, as the Queen of Sheba did
Solomon, to wit, That having heard of his Fame and Achievements,
they had put in there to learn his Art and Wisdom in the Business
of pyrating, being Vessels on the same honourable Design with
himself; and hoped with the Communication of his Knowledge, they
should also receive his Charity, being in want of Necessaries for
such Adventures. Roberts was won upon by the Peculiarity and
Bluntness of these two Men and gave them Powder, Arms, and what
ever else they had Occasion for, spent two or three merry Nights
with them, and at parting, said, he hoped the L——
would Prosper their handy Works."
POUND, Captain Thomas.
On August 8th, 1689, this pirate, with five men and a boy,
sailed out of Boston Harbour as passengers in a small vessel.
When off Lovell's Island, five other armed men joined them. Pound
now seized the craft and took command, and declared his intention
of going on a piratical cruise. The first vessel they met with
they decided to take. It was a fishing boat. Pound ran his craft
alongside, but at the last moment his heart failed him, and he
merely bought eight penn'o'th of mackerel from the surprised
fishermen.
He then sailed to Falmouth, Maine, where the corporal and
soldiers of the guard at the fort deserted in the night and
sailed off with Pound and his crew. Fortified by this addition to
his crew, the pirate attacked a sloop, the Good Speed, off
Cape Cod, and a brigantine, the Merrimack, and several
other prizes.[Pg 250] By this time, the Governor at
Boston had heard of Pound's escapades, and sent an armed sloop,
the Mary, to search for him. The pirate was discovered in
Tarpaulin Cove, and a fierce and bloody fight took place before
the pirates struck their "Red flagg." The prisoners were cast
into Boston Gaol to await their trial. Pound had been wounded,
being shot in the arm and side. The trial took place on January
13th, 1690. Pound was found guilty, but reprieved, and was sent
to England, but was later on liberated. Afterwards he got command
of a ship. He died in England in 1703.
POWELL, Thomas.
Of Connecticut, New England.
One of Captain Charles Harris's crew. Hanged at Newport, Rhode
Island, on July 19th, 1723, at the age of 21.
POWER, John.
Born in the West of England.
Served in a slave vessel, the Polly (Captain Fox,
commander), on a voyage to the coast of West Africa. While the
captain was on shore, the crew ran away with the ship, turned
pirates, called their vessel the Bravo, and elected Power
to be captain and sailed to the West Indies. Arrived there, he
tried to sell his cargo of slaves, but being suspected of having
stolen them, he thought it best to sail to New York. Here the
pirates got ashore, but the ship's surgeon informed the
authorities, and Power was arrested and sent to England, where he
was tried, and hanged at Execution Dock on March 10th, 1768.
PRICE, Thomas.
Of Bristol.
Hanged at Charleston, South Carolina, on November 8th, 1718.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew.[Pg 251]
PRIMER, Matthew.
One of Captain Quelch's crew. Turned King's evidence at the
trial for piracy held at the Star Tavern, Boston, in June,
1704.
PRINCE, Captain Lawrence.
In 1760 this buccaneer sacked the city of Granada in company
with Captains Harris and Ludbury. Late in the same year, Prince,
with the rank of Lieut.-Colonel, led the vanguard in the attack
on Panama.
PRO, Captain.
This Dutch South Sea pirate owned a small plantation in
Madagascar, and was joined there by the pirate Williams after he
had escaped from slavery. Both were taken prisoner by an English
frigate. In a fight with the natives, the pirate crew was
defeated, but Pro and Williams managed to escape and to reach
some friendly natives. Procuring a boat, they sailed away to join
some other pirates at Methulage in Madagascar.
PROWSE, Captain Lawrence.
A Devon man, a noted sea captain, and a terror to the
Spaniards. Was imprisoned by King James I. at the instance of the
King of Spain for piracy and was to have been executed, but
English public feeling ran so high that Prowse was
discharged.
PULLING, Captain John.
Commanded the Fame, which set out in 1703 in company
with Dampier in the St. George on a plundering expedition
to the South Seas. Their commissions were to attack only Spanish
and French[Pg 252] ships. The two captains quarrelled
at the very beginning of the voyage, while lying off the Downs,
and Pulling slipped away by himself to go a-pirating amongst the
Canary Islands.
PURSSER, Captain.
In the sixteenth century this pirate became notorious for his
piracies off the coast of Wales, and with Calles and Clinton, two
other pirates, "grew famous, till Queene Elizabeth of blessed
memory, hanged them at Wapping."
QUELCH, Captain John.
A native of Massachusetts Colony.
In 1703 was one of the crew of the brigantine Charles,
eighty tons, owned by some leading citizens of Boston, and fitted
out to go privateering off the coasts of Arcadia and
Newfoundland. On leaving Marblehead the crew mutinied, locked the
captain in his cabin, and elected Quelch their commander. They
sailed to the south, and shortly afterwards threw the captain
overboard. They hoisted a flag, the "Old Roger," described as
having "in the middle of it an Anatomy with an Hourglars in one
hand and a dart in the Heart with three drops of Blood proceeding
from it in the other." They took nine Portuguese vessels off the
coast of Brazil, out of which they took plunder of very great
value.
Quelch now had the audacity to sail back to Marblehead, where
his crew landed and quickly scattered with their plunder. Within
a week Quelch was in gaol, and was taken to Boston, where his
trial began on June 17th, 1704, and he was found guilty. The days
between the sentence and the execution must have, indeed, been
trying for the prisoner. We read in a pamphlet published at the
time: "The Ministers of[Pg 253] the Town used more than
ordinary Endeavours to Instruct the Prisoners and bring them to
Repentance. There were Sermons Preached in their hearing Every
Day, and Prayer daily made with them. And they were Catechised,
and they had many occasional Exhortations. And nothing was left
that could be done for their Good."
On Friday, June 30th, 1704, Quelch and his companions marched
on foot through the town of Boston to Scarlil's Wharf with a
strong armed guard of musketeers, accompanied by various
officials and two ministers, while in front was carried a silver
oar, the emblem of a pirate's execution. Before the last act the
minister gave a long and fervent harangue to the wretched
culprits, in all of whom were observed suitable signs of
repentance except Quelch, who, stepping forward on the platform,
his hat in his hand, and bowing left and right to the spectators,
gave a short address, in which he warned them "They should take
care how they brought Money into New England to be Hanged for
it."
QUITTANCE, John.
One of Captain Quelch's crew of the brigantine Charles.
Tried with the rest of that crew at the Star Tavern at Boston in
June, 1704.
RACKAM, Captain John, alias Calico Jack.
Served as quartermaster in Captain Vane's company. On one
occasion Vane refused to fight a big French ship, and in
consequence was dismissed his ship and marooned on an uninhabited
island off the coast of America, while the crew elected Rackam to
be their captain in his place. This was on November 24th, 1718,
and on the very first day of his command he had the good fortune
to take and plunder several small vessels.[Pg
254]
Off the Island of Jamaica they took a Madeira ship, and found
an old friend on board as a passenger—a Mr. Hosea Tisdell,
who kept a tavern in the island, and they treated him with great
respect.
Christmas Day coming, the pirates landed on a small island to
celebrate this festival in a thorough manner, carousing and
drinking as long as the liquor lasted, when they sailed away to
seek more. Their next prize was a strange one. On coming
alongside a ship, she surrendered, and the pirates boarding her
to examine her cargo, found it to consist of thieves from Newgate
on their way to the plantations. Taking two more vessels, Rackam
sailed to the Bahama Islands, but the Governor, Captain Woodes
Rogers, sent a sloop, which took away their prizes.
Rackam now sailed his ship to a snug little cove he knew of in
Cuba, where he had more than one lady acquaintance. Here the
pirates were very happy until all their provisions and money was
spent. Just as they were about to sail, in comes a Spanish Guarda
del Costa with a small English sloop which they had recently
taken. Rackam was now in a very awkward position, being unable to
get past the Spaniard, and all he could do was to hide behind a
small island. Night came on, and when it was dark Rackam put all
his crew into a boat, rowed quietly up to the sloop, clambered
aboard, threatening instant death to the Spanish guards if they
cried out, then cut the cables and sailed out of the bay. As soon
as it was light the Spanish ship commenced a furious bombardment
of Rackam's empty vessel, thinking he was still aboard her.
In the summer of 1720 he took numbers of small vessels and
fishing boats, but nothing very rich, and was not above stealing
the fishermen's nets and landing and taking cattle. In October
Rackam was chased near Nigril Bay by a Government
sloop[Pg
255] commanded by a Captain Barret. After a short
fight Rackam surrendered, and was carried a prisoner to Port
Royal.
On November 16th Rackam and his crew were tried at St. Jago de
la Vega, convicted and sentenced to death. Amongst the crew were
two women dressed as men, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. The former
was married, in pirate fashion, to Rackam.
On the morning of his execution Rackam was allowed, as a
special favour, to visit his Anne, but all the comfort he got
from her was "that she was sorry to see him there, but if he had
fought like a man, he need not have been hanged like a Dog."
Rackam was hanged on November 17th, 1720, at Gallows Point, at
Port Royal, Jamaica.
RAPHAELINA, Captain.
Much dreaded by the merchant sailors navigating the South
Atlantic. In 1822 he controlled a fleet of pirate vessels in the
vicinity of Cape Antonio.
RAYNER, Captain.
In a letter to the Lords of Trade, dated from Philadelphia,
February 28th, 1701, William Penn mentions that several of
Captain Kidd's men had settled as planters in Carolina with
Rayner as their captain.
RAYNOR, William.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew. Tried at Boston in
1704.
READ, Captain.
Commanded a brigantine which had its headquarters at
Madagascar. Rescued the pirate Thomas White. Read died at
sea.[Pg
256]
READ, Mary. Woman pirate.
Born in London of obscure parentage; all that is known for
certain is that her mother was a "young and airy widow." Mary was
brought up as a boy, and at the age of 13 was engaged as a
footboy to wait on a French lady. Having a roving spirit, Mary
ran away and entered herself on board a man-of-war. Deserting a
few years later, she enlisted in a regiment of foot and fought in
Flanders, showing on all occasions great bravery, but quitted the
service to enlist in a regiment of horse. Her particular comrade
in this regiment was a Fleming, with whom she fell in love and
disclosed to him the secret of her sex. She now dressed as a
woman, and the two troopers were married, "which made a great
noise," and several of her officers attended the nuptials. She
and her husband got their discharge and kept an eating house or
ordinary, the Three Horseshoes, near the Castle of Breda. The
husband died, and Mary once again donned male attire and enlisted
in a regiment in Holland. Soon tiring of this, she deserted, and
shipped herself aboard a vessel bound for the West Indies. This
ship was taken by an English pirate, Captain Rackam, and Mary
joined his crew as a seaman.
She was at New Providence Island, Bahama, when Woodes Rogers
came there with the royal pardon to all pirates, and she shipped
herself aboard a privateer sent out by Rogers to cruise against
the Spaniards. The crew mutinied and again became pirates. She
now sailed under Captain Rackam, who had with him another woman
pirate, Anne Bonny. They took a large number of ships belonging
to Jamaica, and out of one of these took prisoner "a young fellow
of engaging behaviour" with whom Mary fell deeply in love. This
young fellow had a quarrel with one of the pirates, and as the
ship lay at anchor they were to go to fight it out on shore
according to pirate law. Mary, to save her lover, picked a
quarrel with the same pirate, and managed to have her duel at
once, and fighting with sword and pistol killed him on the
spot.
She now married the young man "of engaging behaviour," and not
long after was taken prisoner with Captain Rackam and the rest of
the crew to Jamaica. She was tried at St. Jago de la Vega in
Jamaica, and on November 28th, 1720, was convicted, but died in
prison soon after of a violent fever.
That Mary Read was a woman of great spirit is shown by her
reply to Captain Rackam, who had asked her (thinking she was a
young man) what pleasure she could find in a life continually in
danger of death by fire, sword, or else by hanging; to which Mary
replied "that as to hanging, she thought it no great Hardship,
for were it not for that, every cowardly Fellow would turn Pirate
and so unfit the Seas, that Men of Courage must starve."
READ, Robert.
Tried for piracy with Gow's crew at Newgate in 1725, and
acquitted.
READ, William.
Of Londonderry, Ireland.
One of Captain Harris's crew. Was hanged at Newport, Rhode
Island, in 1723, at the age of 35.
READHEAD, Philip.
One of Captain Heidon's crew of the pirate ship John of
Sandwich, wrecked on Alderney Island in 1564. Was arrested
and hanged at St. Martin's Point, Guernsey, in the same
year.[Pg
257]
[Pg
258]
ANN BONNY AND MARY READ, CONVICTED OF
PIRACY, NOVEMBER 28, 1720, AT A COURT OF VICE-ADMIRALTY HELD AT
ST. JAGO DE LA VEGA IN THE ISLAND OF JAMAICA.
RHOADE, Captain John.
A Dutch coasting pilot of Boston.
In 1674 appointed chief pilot to the Curacao privateer
Flying Horse, and sailed along the coast of Maine and as
far north as the St. John River. Afterwards attacked and
plundered several small English craft occupied in bartering furs
with the Indians. Condemned to be hanged at Cambridge,
Massachusetts, in June, 1675.
RICE, David. Welsh pirate.
Of Bristol.
Taken out of the Cornwall galley by Captain Roberts, he served
in the Royal Fortune. Tried and found guilty of piracy and
condemned to death, but was reprieved and sold to the Royal
African Company to serve for seven years in their
plantations.
RICE, Owen. Welsh pirate.
Of South Wales.
Hanged at the age of 27 at Rhode Island in 1723. One of
Captain Charles Harris's crew.
RICHARDS, Lieutenant.
Lieutenant to Blackbeard on board the Queen Ann's
Revenge. Cruised in the West Indies and along the coast of
Carolina and Virginia.
In 1717 Teach blockaded the harbour at Charleston and sent
Richards with a party of pirates to the Governor to demand a
medicine chest and all necessary medical supplies, with a threat
that if these were not forthcoming he would cut the throats of
all his prisoners, many of them the leading merchants of the
town. While waiting for the Governor's reply, Richards and his
companions scandalized the[Pg 259] towns-folk of
Charleston by their outrageous and swaggering conduct.
RICHARDSON, John.
His father was a goldsmith at New York. John, tiring of the
trade of cooper, to which he was apprenticed, ran away to sea.
For many years he served both in men-of-war and in merchant
ships. Although an unmitigated blackguard, he did not commit
piracy nor murder until some years later, when, being at Ancona,
he met a Captain Benjamin Hartley, who had come there with a
loading of pilchards. Richardson was taken on board to serve as
ship's carpenter, and sailed for Leghorn. With another sailor
called Coyle, Richardson concocted a mutiny, murdered the captain
in the most brutal manner, and was appointed mate in the pirate
ship. As a pirate Richardson was beneath contempt. His life ended
on the gallows at Execution Dock on January 25th, 1738.
RICHARDSON, Nicholas.
One of Captain Quelch's crew. Taken out of the brigantine
Charles, and tried for piracy at Boston in 1704.
RIDGE, John.
Of London.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Hanged in 1718 at
Charleston, South Carolina.
RINGROSE, Basil. Buccaneer, pirate, and author.
Sailed in 1679 to the West Indies. A year later Ringrose had
joined the buccaneers at their rendezvous in the Gulf of Darien,
where they were preparing for a bold enterprise on the Spanish
Main. They landed and marched to the town of Santa
Maria,[Pg
260] which they plundered and burnt. Thence they
travelled in canoes down the river to the Bay of Panama. After
attacking the Spanish fleet and laying siege to the city, the
buccaneers cruised up and down the West Coast of South America
for eighteen months, sacking towns and attacking Spanish ships.
All this while Ringrose kept a very full and graphic journal, in
which he recorded not only their exploits, but also their
hardships and quarrels, and gave descriptions as well of the
various natives and their customs, and drew charts and
sketches.
In 1681 Ringrose was still with Captain Sharp, and sailed
through the Straits of Magellan, and on January 30th of the same
year anchored off Antigua. Here he got a passage in a ship to
England, landing safely at Dartmouth on March 26th.
A year later he published an account of his voyage, as a
second volume to Esquemeling's, "Bucaniers of America." In 1684
he went to sea again in the Cygnet (Captain Swan), to
traffic with the Spanish colonies. But the Spaniards refused to
trade with them. In October, 1684, they met the famous Captain
Edward Davis at that favourite haunt of the buccaneers, the Isle
of Plate. The two captains agreed to join forces and to go
together "on the account," so all the cargo was thrown overboard
the Cygnet, and the ships set out to make war on any
Spanish ships they might meet with.
In February, 1686, Ringrose with one hundred men took the town
of Santiago in Mexico, but while returning with the plunder to
their ship were caught by the Spaniards in an ambush, and
Ringrose was killed.
Ringrose never attained any rank among the buccaneers beyond
occasionally being put in charge of a boat or a small company on
shore, but as a recorder of the doings of his companions he
proved both[Pg 261] careful and painstaking. Dampier
had a great regard for him, and in his book he writes: "My
ingenious friend Ringrose had no mind to this voyage, but was
necessitated to engage in it or starve."
The title of Ringrose's book, first published in 1685, is "The
Dangerous Voyage and Bold Assaults of Captain Bartholomew Sharp
and Others."
Written by Mr. Basil Ringrose.
Printed for William Crooke, 1685.
ROACH, Peter.
When Captain Quelch was captured with his crew, Roach escaped
near the Cape by Snake Island. He was afterwards captured and
thrown into the gaol at Salem. Tried for piracy at the Star
Tavern at Boston, and on June 30th, 1704, was hanged. At the
place of execution Roach disappointed the onlooking crowd, as,
instead of the expected and hoped-for repentant speech, "he
seemed little concerned, and said but little or nothing at
all."
ROB, Alexander.
One of Captain Gow's crew. Hanged at Execution Dock, Wapping,
in June, 1724. He was not one of the original crew of the
George galley, but was taken out of a prize and joined the
pirates of his own free-will.
ROBBINS, James.
Hanged in Virginia in 1718 along with the rest of Captain
Teach's crew.
ROBBINS, James.
Of London.
One of the crew of the Royal James. Hanged in 1718 at
Charleston, South Carolina.[Pg 262]
ROBERTS, Captain Bartholomew. Welsh pirate.
Born 1682. Died 1722.
If a pirate is to be reckoned by the amount of damage he does
and the number of ships he takes there can be no doubt that
Captain Roberts should be placed at the very head of his
profession, for he is said to have taken over 400 vessels. The
only man who can be said to rival him is Sir Henry Morgan, but
Morgan, although in some ways an unmitigated blackguard, was a
man of much greater breadth of outlook than Roberts ever was,
and, moreover, was a buccaneer rather than a pirate.
Roberts, like many other successful pirates, was born in
Wales, not far from Haverfordwest. He is described as being "a
tall black man," and was about 40 years of age at the time of his
death. He was remarkable, even among his remarkable companions,
for several things. First of all, he only drank tea—thus
being the only total abstainer known to the fraternity. Also he
was a strict disciplinarian, and on board his ships all lights
had to be extinguished by 8 p.m., any of the crew who wished to
continue drinking after that hour had to do so on the open deck.
But try as he would this ardent apostle of abstemiousness was
unable to put down drinking. If Roberts had lived to-day, no
doubt he would have been on the council of the local vigilance
committee. He would allow no women aboard his ships, in fact he
made it a law that any man who brought a woman on board disguised
as a man was to suffer death. Roberts allowed no games at cards
or dice to be played for money, as he strongly disapproved of
gambling. He was a strict Sabbatarian, and allowed the musicians
to have a rest on the seventh day. This was as well, for the post
of musician on a pirate ship was no sinecure, as every pirate had
the right to demand a tune at any hour of the day or night. He
used to place a guard to protect all his women prisoners, and it
is sadly suspicious that there was always the greatest
competition amongst the worst characters in the ship to be
appointed sentinel over a good-looking woman prisoner. All
quarrels had to be settled on shore, pirate fashion, the
duellists standing back to back armed with pistol and cutlass.
Roberts would have no fighting among the crew on board his
ship.
Bartholomew must have looked the very part of a pirate when
dressed for action. A tall, dark man, he used to wear a rich
damask waistcoat and breeches, a red feather in his cap, a gold
chain round his neck with a large diamond cross dangling from it,
a sword in his hand, and two pairs of pistols hanging at the end
of a silk sling flung over his shoulders.
We first hear of Roberts as sailing, in honest employ, as
master of the Princess (Captain Plumb), from London in
November, 1719, bound for the coast of Guinea to pick up a cargo
of "black ivory" at Anamaboe. Here his ship was taken by the
Welsh pirate Howel Davis. At first Roberts was disinclined for
the pirate life, but soon changed his mind.
On the death of Davis there were several candidates for the
post of commander, all brisk and lively men, distinguished by the
title of "Lords," such as Sympson, Ashplant, Anstis, and others.
One of these "Lords," Dennis, concluded an eloquent harangue over
a bowl of punch with a strong appeal for Roberts to be the new
chief. This proposal was acclaimed with but one dissenting voice,
that of "Lord" Sympson, who had hopes of being elected himself,
and who sullenly left the meeting swearing "he did not care who
they chose captain so it was not a papist." So Roberts was
elected after being a pirate only six weeks; thus was true merit
quickly appreciated and rewarded amongst them.[Pg
263]
[Pg
264]
CAPTAIN BARTHOLOMEW ROBERTS.
Roberts's speech to his fellow-pirates was short but to the
point, saying "that since he had dipped his hands in muddy water,
and must be a pyrate, it was better being a commander than a
common man," not perhaps a graceful nor grateful way of
expressing his thanks, but one which was no doubt understood by
his audience.
Roberts began his career in a bright manner, for to revenge
the perfectly justifiable death of their late captain he seized
and razed the fort, bombarded the town, and setting on fire two
Portuguese ships so as to act as torches, sailed away the same
night. Sailing to Brazil they found in the Bay of Bahia a fleet
of forty-two Portuguese ships ready laden and on the point of
leaving for Lisbon, and Roberts, with the most astounding
boldness, sailed right in amongst them until he found the deepest
laden, which he attacked and boarded, although his was a much
smaller ship. He sailed away with his prize from the harbour.
This prize, amongst the merchandise, contained 40,000 moidors and
a cross of diamonds designed for the King of Portugal.
He then took a Dutch ship, and two days later an English one,
and sailed back to Brazil, refitting and cleaning at the Island
of Ferdinando.
In a work such as this is, it is impossible to recount all, or
even a few, of the daring adventures, or the piratical ups and
downs of one pirate. Roberts sailed to the West Indies
devastating the commerce of Jamaica and Barbadoes. When things
grew too hot there, he went north to Newfoundland, and played the
very devil with the English and French fishing fleets and
settlements.
His first ship he called the Fortune, his next, a
bigger ship, the Royal Fortune, another the Good
Fortune.
On two occasions Roberts had been very roughly[Pg 265]
handled, once by a ship from Barbadoes and once by the
inhabitants of Martinica, so when he designed his new flag, he
portrayed on it a huge figure of himself standing sword in hand
upon two skulls, and under these were the letters A.B.H. and
A.M.H., signifying a Barbadian's and a Martinican's head.
In April, 1721, Roberts was back again on the Guinea Coast,
burning and plundering. Amongst the prisoners he took out of one
of his prizes was a clergyman. The captain dearly wished to have
a chaplain on board his ship to administer to the spiritual
welfare of his crew, and tried all he could to persuade the
parson to sign on, promising him that his only duties should be
to say prayers and make punch. But the prelate begged to be
excused, and was at length allowed to go with all his belongings,
except three prayer-books and a corkscrew—articles which
were sorely needed aboard the Royal Fortune.
The end of Roberts's career was now in sight. A King's ship,
the Swallow (Captain Chaloner Ogle), discovered Roberts's
ships at Parrot Island, and, pretending to fly from them, was
followed out to sea by one of the pirates. A fight took place,
and after two hours the pirates struck, flinging overboard their
black flag "that it might not rise in Judgement over them." The
Swallow returned in a few days to Parrot Island to look
for Roberts in the Royal Fortune. Roberts being at
breakfast, enjoying a savoury dish of solomongundy, was informed
of the approach of the ship, but refused to take any notice of
it. At last, thoroughly alarmed, he cut his cables and sailed
out, but most of his crew being drunk, even at this early hour,
the pirates did not make as good a resistance as if they had been
sober. Early in the engagement Roberts was hit in the throat by a
grape-shot and killed; this being on February 10th, 1722. His
body, fully dressed, with his arms and[Pg 266]
ornaments, was thrown overboard according to his repeated request
made during his lifetime. Thus the arch-pirate died, as he always
said he wished to die, fighting. His motto had always been "A
short life and a merry one." One good word can be said for
Roberts, that he never forced a man to become a pirate against
his wish.
ROBERTS, Owen. Welsh pirate.
Carpenter in the Queen Ann's Revenge, and killed on
November 22nd, 1718, off the North Carolina Coast.
ROBINSON, Edward.
Of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Hanged at Charleston, South Carolina, in 1718.
ROCHE, Captain Philip, alias John Eustace.
In company with three other mariners—Cullen, Wife, and
Neale—this Irish pirate shipped himself on board a French
snow at Cork in November, 1721, for a passage to Nantes. Owing to
Roche's briskness, genteel manners, and knowledge of navigation,
the master used occasionally to place him in charge of the
vessel. One night a few days out a pre-arranged mutiny took
place, the French crew being butchered and thrown overboard. The
captain, who pleaded for mercy, was also thrown into the sea.
Driven by bad weather to Dartmouth, the new captain, Roche, had
the ship repainted and disguised, and renamed her the
Mary. Then sailing to Rotterdam he sold the cargo of beef
and took on a fresh cargo with the owner, Mr. Annesly. The first
night out of port they threw Mr. Annesly overboard, and he swam
alongside for some while pleading to be taken in. On
going[Pg
267] into a French port, and hearing that an enquiry
was being made about his ship, Roche ran away. The crew took the
ship to Scotland, and there landed and disappeared, and the ship
was seized and taken to the Thames.
Later on Roche was arrested in London and committed to Newgate
Prison, found guilty of piracy, and hanged on August 5th, 1723,
at Execution Dock, at the age of 30. The hanging was not, from
the public spectators point of view, a complete success, for the
culprit "was so ill at the time that he could not make any public
declaration of his abhorrence of the crime for which he
suffered."
RODERIGO, Peter.
A "Flanderkin."
Commanded a Dutch vessel, the Edward and Thomas, that
sailed from Boston in 1674, and took several small English
vessels along the coast of Maine. Tried for piracy at Cambridge,
Massachusetts, and condemned to be hanged, but was afterwards
pardoned.
ROGERS, Captain Thomas.
Commanded a ship, the Forlorn. Routed the Spaniards at
Venta Cruz in 1671. One of Morgan's captains in his attack on
Panama.
ROGERS, Captain Woodes.
As the life of this famous navigator and privateer is, very
justly, treated fully in the "Dictionary of National Biography"
it is unnecessary to mention more than a few incidents in his
adventurous career. Woodes Rogers was not only a good navigator,
for on many occasions he showed a remarkable gift for commanding
mutinous crews in spite of having many[Pg 268]
officers on whom he could place little reliance. On leaving Cork
in 1708, after an incompetent pilot had almost run his ship on
two rocks off Kinsale called "The Sovereigne's Bollacks," Rogers
describes his crew thus: "A third were foreigners, while of Her
Majestie's subjects many were taylors, tinkers, pedlars,
fiddlers, and hay-makers, with ten boys and one negro." It was
with crews such as these that many of the boldest and most
remarkable early voyages were made, and they required a man of
Woodes Rogers stamp to knock them into sailors. Rogers had a gift
for inspiring friendship wherever he went. On arriving at the
coast of Brazil, his boat was fired on when trying to land at
Angre de Reys. This settlement had but lately received several
hostile visitors in the way of French pirates. But before a week
was passed Woodes Rogers had so won the hearts of the Portuguese
Governor and the settlers that he and his "musick" were invited
to take part in an important religious function, or
"entertainment," as Rogers calls it, "where," he says, "we waited
on the Governour, Signior Raphael de Silva Lagos, in a body,
being ten of us, with two trumpets and a hautboy, which he
desir'd might play us to church, where our musick did the office
of an organ, but separate from the singing, which was by the
fathers well perform'd. Our musick played 'Hey, boys, up go we!'
and all manner of noisy paltry tunes. And after service, our
musicians, who were by that time more than half drunk, march'd at
the head of the company; next to them an old father and two
fryars carrying lamps of incense, then an image dressed with
flowers and wax candles, then about forty priests, fryars, etc.,
followed by the Governor of the town, myself, and Capt. Courtney,
with each of us a long wax candle lighted. The ceremony held
about two hours; after which we were splendidly entertained
by[Pg
269] the fathers of the Convent, and then by the
Governour. They unanimously told us they expected nothing from us
but our Company, and they had no more but our musick."
What a delightful picture this calls to the mind—the
little Brazilian town, the tropical foliage, the Holy Procession,
"wax figure" and priests, followed by the Governor with an
English buccaneer on either side, and headed by a crew of drunken
Protestant English sailors playing "Hey, boys, up go we!"
Rogers, not to be outdone in hospitality, next day entertained
the Governor and fathers on board the Duke, "when," he
says, "they were very merry, and in their cups propos'd the
Pope's health to us. But we were quits with 'em by toasting the
Archbishop of Canterbury; and to keep up the humour, we also
proposed William Pen's health, and they liked the liquor so well,
that they refused neither." Alas! the good Governor and the
fathers were not in a fit state to leave the ship when the end
came to the entertainment, so slept on board, being put ashore in
the morning, "when we saluted 'em with a huzza from each ship,
because," as Rogers says, "we were not overstocked with
powder."
It was in March, 1710, that Rogers brought his little fleet
into the harbour of Guam, one of the Ladrone Islands. Although at
war with Spain, the captain soon became on his usual friendly
terms with the Governor of this Spanish colony, and gave an
entertainment on board his ship to him and four other Spanish
gentlemen, making them "as welcome as time and place would
afford, with musick and our sailors dancing." The Governor gave a
return party on shore, to which Rogers and all his brother
officers were invited, partaking of "sixty dishes of various
sorts." After this feast Rogers gave his host a[Pg 270]
present, consisting of "two negro boys dress'd in liveries." One
other instance of Woodes Rogers adaptability must suffice. In the
year 1717 he was appointed Governor to the Bahama Islands, at New
Providence, now called Nassau. His chief duty was to stamp out
the West India pirates who had made this island their
headquarters for many years, and were in complete power there,
and numbered more than 2,000 desperadoes, including such famous
men as Vane and Teach. Rogers's only weapon, besides the
man-of-war he arrived in, was a royal proclamation from King
George offering free pardon to all pirates or buccaneers who
would surrender at once to the new Governor. At first the pirates
were inclined to resist his landing, but in the end the tactful
Rogers got his own way, and not only landed, but was received by
an armed guard of honour, and passed between two lines of pirates
who fired salutes with their muskets.
Most of the pirates surrendered and received their pardons,
but some, who reverted shortly afterwards to piracy and were
captured and brought back to New Providence, were tried and
actually hanged by Rogers's late buccaneer subjects.
Woodes Rogers eventually died in Nassau in the year 1729.
He was the author of a delightful book entitled "A Cruising
Voyage Round the World, begun in 1708 and finish'd in 1711, by
Captain Woodes Rogers, Commander-in-Chief on this Expedition,
with the ships Duke and Duchess of Bristol."
This was published in London in 1712.
ROLLSON, Peter.
Captain Gow's gunner in the Revenge. Hanged at
Execution Dock, Wapping, in June, 1725.[Pg
271]
ROSS, George, or Rose.
Of Glasgow.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew of the Royal James.
Was hanged at Charleston, South Carolina, on November 8th, 1718,
and buried in the marsh below low-water mark.
ROSSOE, Francis.
In June, 1717, in company with four other Carolina pirates,
was placed on trial for his life. Convicted with De Cossey, De
Mont, and Ernandos, of piratically taking the vessels the
Turtle Dove, the Penelope, and the Virgin
Queen in July of the previous year, and, after being
sentenced to death by Judge Trott, Rossoe and his fellow-pirates
were promptly executed.
ROUNDSIVEL, Captain George.
Of the Bahama Islands.
He refused to avail himself of King George's pardon to all
pirates in 1717, and went off again on the "main chance" till
captured.
ROW, Captain. Buccaneer.
In 1679, at the Boca del Toro, was with the buccaneer fleet
that attacked and sacked Santa Maria. Row commanded a small
vessel of twenty tons, a crew of twenty-five men, and no
guns.
RUIZ.
One of Captain Gilbert's crew in the pirate schooner
Panda, which plundered the Salem brig Mexican in
1834. Tried in Boston and condemned to be hanged. Pleading
insanity, he was respited for sixty days and then hanged on
September 12th, 1835.[Pg 272]
RUPERT. Prince of the Rhine.
After an adventurous life as a soldier on the Continent, he
sailed from Ireland in 1648 with seven ships. His own ship was
the Swallow. He was a man of boundless energy, who was
never happy if not engaged in some enterprise, and as legitimate
warfare gave him few opportunities he turned pirate. He spent
five years at sea, largely in the West Indies, meeting with every
kind of adventure.
In 1653 he was caught in a storm in the Virgin Islands, and
his fleet was wrecked. His brother, Prince Maurice, was lost with
his ship, the Defiance, the only ship saved being the
Swallow. Prince Rupert returned in the Swallow to
France in the same year. Hitherto the prince had been a restless,
clever man, "very sparkish in his dress," but this catastrophe to
his fleet and the loss of his brother broke his spirit, and he
retired to England, where he died in his bed in 1682 at Spring
Gardens.
le SAGE, Captain. French filibuster.
In 1684 was at San Domingo, in command of the Tigre,
carrying thirty guns and a crew of 130 men.
SALTER, Edward.
Hanged in Virginia in 1718 with the rest of Captain Teach's
crew.
SAMPLE, Captain Richard. Buccaneer.
Was at New Providence Island in 1718, and received the royal
pardon from King George, offered to those pirates who surrendered
themselves to Governor Woodes Rogers. Like many another, he fell
again into his former wicked ways, and ended his life by being
hanged.[Pg
273]
SAMPLE, Captain Robert.
One of England's crew in the Royal James. In 1720 they
took a prize, the Elizabeth and Katherine, off the coast
of West Africa. Fitting her out for a pirate, they named her the
Flying King, and Sample was put in command. In company
with Captain Low, he sailed to Brazil and did much mischief
amongst the Portuguese shipping. In November of the same year the
two pirate ships were attacked by a very powerful man-of-war.
Lane got away, but Sample was compelled to run his ship ashore on
the coast. Of his crew of seventy men, twelve were killed and the
rest taken prisoners, of whom the Portuguese hanged thirty-eight.
Of these, thirty-two were English, three Dutch, two French, and
one Portuguese.
SANDERS, Thomas.
An Elizabethan mariner who was taken prisoner by the Moors. He
wrote a narrative of his life as a slave on a Barbary pirate
galley.
"I and sixe more of my fellowes," he wrote, "together with
four-score Italians and Spaniards, were sent foorth in a Galeot
to take a Greekish Carmosell, which came into Africa to steale
Negroes. We were chained three and three to an oare, and we rowed
naked above the girdle, and the Boteswaine of the Galley walked
abaft the masts, and his Mate afore the maste ... and when their
develish choller rose, they would strike the Christians for no
cause. And they allowed us but halfe a pound of bread a man in a
day without any other kind of sustenance, water excepted.... We
were then so cruelly manackled in such sort, that we could not
put our hands the length of one foote asunder the one from the
other, and every night they searched our chains three times, to
see if they were fast riveted."[Pg 274]
SAWKINS, Captain Richard. Buccaneer.
We know little of the early career of this remarkable
buccaneer. He was loved by his crew, and had great influence over
them. It is recorded that one Sunday morning, finding some of his
men gambling, he threw the dice overboard, saying "he would have
no gambling aboard his ship."
We know that on one occasion he was caught in his vessel by
H.M.S. Success and brought to Port Royal, Jamaica, and
that on December 1st, 1679, he was in prison awaiting trial for
piracy. Apparently he got off, for this brilliant young buccaneer
is soon afterwards heard of as commanding a small vessel of
sixteen tons, armed with but one gun and a crew of thirty-five
men. He was one of a party of 330 buccaneers who, under the
leadership of Coxon and Sharp, landed on the coast of Darien and
marched through the jungle to attack and plunder the town of
Santa Maria. The remainder of the journey across the isthmus was
done in canoes, in which the pirates travelled down the Santa
Maria River until they found themselves in the Pacific. On this
expedition each captain had his company and had his own colours,
Sawkins's flag being a red one with yellow stripes. Arrived at
the sea, they captured two small Spanish vessels, and, the rest
of the company being in the canoes, they boldly sailed towards
Panama City. Meeting with the Spanish fleet of eight ships, the
buccaneers attacked it, and, after a most furious battle, came
off victorious. This was one of the most gallant episodes in the
whole history of the "brethren of the coast," and was afterwards
known as the Battle of Perico. Sawkins fought in the most brave
and desperate manner, and took a large share in the successful
enterprise. After this action some quarrelling took place, which
ended by Captain Coxon going off with some seventy men, to return
across the isthmus[Pg 275] on foot. The company that remained
in the Pacific elected Sawkins to be their leader, as Captain
Sharp, a much older man, was away in his ship.
The buccaneers, ever since they defeated the Spanish fleet,
had blockaded the harbour, and a correspondence took place
between the Governor of Panama and Sawkins, the former wishing to
know what the pirates had come there for. To this message Sawkins
sent back answer "that we came to assist the King of Darien, who
was the true Lord of Panama and all the country thereabouts. And
that since we were come so far, there was no reason but that we
should have some satisfaction. So that if he pleased to send us
five hundred pieces of eight for each man, and one thousand for
each commander, and not any farther to annoy the Indians, but
suffer them to use their own power and liberty, as became the
true and natural lords of the country, that then we would desist
from all further hostilities, and go away peaceably; otherwise
that we should stay there, and get what we could, causing to them
what damage was possible."
This message was just bluff on Sawkins's part, but having
heard that the Bishop of Santa Martha was in the city, Sawkins
sent him two loaves of sugar as a present, and reminded the
prelate that he had been his prisoner five years before, when
Sawkins took that town. Further messengers returned from Panama
next day, bringing a gold ring for Sawkins from the well-disposed
Bishop, and a message from the Governor, in which he inquired
"from whom we had our commission and to whom he ought to complain
for the damage we had already done them?" To this Sawkins sent
back answer "that as yet all his company were not come together;
but that when they were come up we would come and visit him at
Panama, and bring our commissions on the muzzles of our guns, at
which time he should read them[Pg 276] as plain as the
flame of gunpowder could make them."
After lying off Panama for some while without meeting with any
plunder, and their victuals running short, the crews began to
grumble, and persuaded Sawkins to sail south along the coast.
This he did, and, arriving off the town of Puebla Nueva on May
22nd, 1679, Sawkins landed a party of sixty men and led them
against the town. But the Spaniards had been warned in time, and
had built up three strong breastworks.
Sawkins, who never knew what fear meant, stormed the town at
the head of his men, but was killed by a musket-ball.
Basil Ringrose, the buccaneer who wrote the narrative of this
voyage, describes Sawkins as being "a man who was as valiant and
courageous as any man could be, and the best beloved of all our
company"; and on another occasion he speaks of him as "a man whom
nothing on earth could terrifie."
SAWNEY, Captain.
A pirate of New Providence Island in the Bahamas. In this
pirate republic this old man lived in the best hut, and was
playfully known as "Governor Sawney."
de SAYAS, Francisco.
A Spanish pirate hanged at Kingston, Jamaica, in 1823.
SCOT, Lewis.
Distinguished as being the first pirate to carry on the trade
on land as well as at sea. Before this time pirates were never
known to be anything but harmless drunkards when on shore,
whatever they might be on[Pg 277] board their ships. Scot changed
all this when he sacked and pillaged the city of Campeachy. So
successful was he that his example was quickly followed by
Mansfield, John Davis, and other pirates.
SCOT, Roger.
Born at Bristol.
One of Captain Roberts's crew. Tried for piracy in April,
1722, at Cape Coast Castle, West Africa, after the great defeat
of the pirates by H.M.S. Swallow. On this occasion no less
than 267 pirates were accounted for. The finding of the
Honourable the President and Judges of the Court of Admiralty for
trying of pirates was as follows:
Acquitted |
|
74 |
Executed |
|
52 |
Respited |
|
2 |
To Servitude |
|
20 |
To the Marshallsea |
17 for tryal |
The rest were accounted for as
follows: |
Killed { |
In the Ranger |
10 |
In the Fortune |
3 |
Dy'd { |
In the passage to Cape Corso |
15 |
Afterwards in the castle |
4 |
Negroes in both ships |
70 |
|
|
—— |
|
|
267 |
|
|
—— |
A number of the prisoners signed a "humble petition" begging
that, as they, being "unhappily and unwisely drawn into that
wretched and detestable Crime of Piracy," they might be permitted
to serve in the Royal African Company in the country for seven
years, in remission of their crimes. This clemency was granted to
twenty of the prisoners, of which Scot was one.[Pg
278]
A very impressive indenture was drawn up, according to which
the prisoners were to become the slaves of the Company for seven
years, and this was signed by the prisoners and by the
President.
SCOTT, William.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew in the Royal James.
Tried for piracy in 1718 at Charleston, South Carolina, and
hanged at White Point on November 8th.
SCUDAMORE, Christopher.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew. Tried for piracy at the
Star Tavern in Hanover Street, Boston, in 1704, and hanged on
Charles River, Boston Side, on June 30th. A report of the trial
and execution of these pirates, describing Scudamore's conduct on
the gallows, says: "He appeared very Penitent since his
Condemnation, was very diligent to improve his time going to, and
at the place of Execution."
SCUDAMORE, Peter.
Belonging to Bristol.
Surgeon in the Mercy galley, and taken by Captain
Roberts in 1721. It was a rule on all pirate vessels for the
surgeon to be excused from signing the ship's articles. When the
next prize was taken, if she carried a surgeon, he was taken in
place of their present one, if the latter wished to leave. But
when Scudamore came on board the Royal Fortune he insisted
on signing the pirate articles and boasted that he was the first
surgeon that had ever done so, and he hoped, he said, to prove as
great a rogue as any of them.
When the African Company's Guinea ship, the King
Solomon, was taken, Scudamore came aboard[Pg 279]
and helped himself to their surgeon's instruments and medicines.
He also took a fancy for a backgammon board, but only kept it
after a violent quarrel with another pirate. It came out at his
trial that on a voyage from the Island of St. Thomas, in a prize,
the Fortune, in which was a cargo of slaves, Scudamore had
tried to bring about a mutiny of the blacks to kill the prize
crew which was on board, and he was detected in the night going
about amongst the negroes, talking to them in the Angolan
language. He said that he knew enough about navigation to sail
the ship himself, and he was heard to say that "this were better
than to be taken to Cape Corso to be hanged and sun dried."
The same witness told how he had approached the prisoner when
he was trying to persuade a wounded pirate, one James Harris, to
join him in his scheme, but fearing to be overheard, Scudamore
turned the conversation to horse-racing.
Scudamore was condemned to death, but allowed three days'
grace before being hanged, which he spent in incessant prayers
and reading of the Scriptures. On the gallows he sang, solo, the
Thirty-first Psalm. Died at the age of 35.
SEARLES, Captain Robert.
In 1664 he brought in two Spanish prizes to Port Royal, but as
orders had only lately come from England to the Governor to do
all in his power to promote friendly relations with the Spanish
islands, these prizes were returned to their owners. To prevent
Searle's doing such things again, he was deprived of his ship's
rudder and sails. In 1666, Searle, in company with a Captain
Stedman and a party of only eighty men, took the Island of
Tobago, near Trinidad, from the Dutch, destroying everything they
could not carry away.[Pg 280]
SELKIRK, Alexander. The original Robinson Crusoe.
Born in 1676 at Largo in Fifeshire, he was the seventh son of
John Selcraig, a shoemaker. In 1695 he was cited to appear before
the Session for "indecent conduct in church," but ran away to
sea. In 1701 he was back again in Largo, and was rebuked in the
face of the congregation for quarrelling with his brothers. A
year later Selkirk sailed to England, and in 1703 joined
Dampier's expedition to the South Seas. Appointed sailing-master
to the Cinque Ports, commanded by Captain Stradling.
In September, 1704, he arrived at the uninhabited island of
Juan Fernandez, in the South Pacific. Selkirk, having quarrelled
with the captain, insisted on being landed on the island with all
his belongings. He lived alone here for nearly four years,
building himself two cabins, hunting the goats which abounded,
and taming young goats and cats to be his companions.
On the night of January 31st, 1709, seeing two ships, Selkirk
lit a fire, and a boat was sent ashore. These ships were the
Duke and Duchess of Bristol, under the command of
Captain Woodes Rogers, while his old friend Dampier was acting as
pilot. Selkirk was at once appointed sailing-master of the
Duchess, and eventually arrived back in the Thames on
October 14th, 1711, with booty worth £800, having been away
from England for eight years. While in England he met Steele, who
described Selkirk as a "man of good sense, with strong but
cheerful expression." Whether Selkirk ever met Defoe is
uncertain, though the character of Robinson Crusoe was certainly
founded on his adventures in Juan Fernandez. In 1712 he returned
to Largo, living the life of a recluse, and we must be forgiven
for suspecting that he rather acted up to the part, since it
is[Pg
281] recorded that he made a cave in his father's
garden in which to meditate. This life of meditation in an
artificial cave was soon rudely interrupted by the appearance of
a certain Miss Sophia Bonce, with whom Selkirk fell violently in
love, and they eloped together to Bristol, which must have proved
indeed a sad scandal to the elders and other godly citizens of
Largo. Beyond the fact that he was charged at Bristol with
assaulting one Richard Nettle, a shipwright, we hear no more of
Selkirk until his first will was drawn up in 1717, in which he
leaves his fortune and house to "my loving friend Sophia Bonce,
of the Pall Mall, London, Spinster." Shortly after this,
Alexander basely deserted his loving friend and married a widow,
one Mrs. Francis Candis, at Oarston in Devon.
In 1720 he was appointed mate to H.M.S. Weymouth, on
board of which he died a year later at the age of 45.
Selkirk is immortalized in literature, not only by Defoe, but
by Cowper in his "Lines on Solitude," beginning: "I am monarch of
all I survey."
SHARP, Rowland.
Of Bath Town in North Carolina.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Tried for piracy at
Charleston in 1718 and found "not guilty."
SHASTER, Roger.
One of Captain Heidon's crew of the pirate ship John of
Sandwich, which was wrecked on the coast of Alderney. Shaster
was arrested and hanged at St. Martin's Point, Guernsey, in
1564.
SHAW, John.
One of Captain Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts on March
11th, 1722.[Pg 282]
SHERGALL, Henry, or Sherral. Buccaneer.
A seaman with Captain Bartholomew Sharp in his South Sea
voyage. One October day he fell into the sea while going into the
spritsail-top and was drowned. "This incident several of our
company interpreted as a bad omen, which proved not so, through
the providence of the Almighty."
SHIRLEY, Sir Anthony.
In January, 1597, headed an expedition to the Island of
Jamaica. He met with little opposition from the Spaniards, and
seized and plundered St. Jago de la Vega.
SHIVERS, Captain.
This South Sea pirate cruised in company with Culliford and
Nathaniel North in the Red Sea, preying principally on Moorish
ships, and also sailed about the Indian Ocean as far as the
Malacca Islands. He accepted the royal pardon to pirates, which
was brought out to Madagascar by Commodore Littleton, and
apparently gave up his wicked ways thereafter.
SHUTFIELD, William.
Of Lancaster.
Hanged at Rhode Island in July, 1723, at the age of 40.
SICCADAM, John.
Of Boston.
One of Captain Pound's crew. Found guilty of piracy, but
pardoned.
SIMMS, Henry, alias "Gentleman Harry." Pickpocket,
highwayman, pirate, and Old Etonian.
Born in 1716 at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields. Sent[Pg 283]
while quite young to school at Eton, where he "shewed an early
inclination to vice," and at the age of 14 was taken from school
and apprenticed to a breeches-maker. No Old Etonian, either then
or now, would stand that kind of treatment, so Simms ran away,
becoming a pickpocket and later a highwayman. After numerous
adventures and escapes from prison, he was pressed on board
H.M.S. Rye, but he deserted his ship at Leith. After an
"affair" at Croydon, Simms was transplanted with other convicts
to Maryland, in the Italian Merchant. On the voyage he
attempted, but without success, to raise a mutiny. On his arrival
in America he was sold to the master of the Two Sisters,
which was taken a few days out from Maryland by a Bayonne pirate.
Carried to Spain, Simms got to Oporto, and there was pressed on
board H.M.S. King Fisher. Eventually he reached Bristol,
where he bought, with his share of booty, a horse and two
pistols, with which to go on the highway.
Hanged on June 17th, 1747, for stealing an old silver watch
and 5s. from Mr. Francis Sleep at Dunstable.
SKIPTON, Captain.
Commanded a pirate ship, in which he sailed in company with
Captain Spriggs. Being chased by H.M.S. Diamond off the
coast of Cuba, Skipton ran his sloop on to the Florida Reef.
Escaping with his crew to an island, they were attacked by the
Indians, and many of them were captured and eaten. The survivors,
embarking in a canoe, were caught by the man-of-war and taken
prisoner.
SKYRM, Captain James. Welsh pirate.
Hanged at the advanced age—for a pirate—of 44.
Commanded the Ranger, one of Captain Roberts's ships
that cruised in 1721 and 1722 off the West Coast[Pg 284] of
Africa. In the fight with the King's ship that took him he was
very active with a drawn sword in his hand, with which he beat
any of his crew who were at all backward. One of his legs was
shot away in this action, but he refused to leave the deck and go
below as long as the action lasted. He was condemned to death and
hanged in chains.
SMITH, George. Welsh pirate.
One of Captain Roberts's pirates. Hanged at the age of 25.
SMITH, John.
One of the mutinous crew of the Antonio. Hanged at
Boston in 1672.
SMITH, John Williams.
Of Charleston, Carolina.
Hanged in 1718 for piracy, at Charleston.
SMITH, Major Samuel. Buccaneer.
At one time a buccaneer with the famous Mansfield.
In 1641 he was sent, by the Governor of Jamaica, with a party
to reinforce the troops which under Mansfield had recaptured the
New Providence Island from the Spanish. In 1660 he was taken
prisoner by the Spanish and carried to Panama and there kept in
chains in a dungeon for seventeen months.
de SOTO, Bernado.
One of the crew of the schooner Panda that took and
plundered the Salem brig Mexican. The crew of the
Panda were captured by an English man-of-war and taken to
Boston. De Soto was condemned to death, but eventually fully
pardoned owing to his heroic conduct in rescuing the crew of an
American vessel some time previously.[Pg
285]
de SOTO, Captain Benito.
A Portuguese.
A most notorious pirate in and about 1830.
In 1827 he shipped at Buenos Ayres as mate in a slaver, named
the Defenser de Pedro, and plotted to seize the ship off
the African coast. The pirates took the cargo of slaves to the
West Indies, where they sold them. De Soto plundered many vessels
in the Caribbean Sea, then sailed to the South Atlantic, naming
his ship the Black Joke. The fear of the Black Joke
became so great amongst the East Indiamen homeward bound that
they used to make up convoys at St. Helena before heading
north.
In 1832 de Soto attacked the Morning Star, an East
Indiaman, and took her, when he plundered the ship and murdered
the captain. After taking several more ships, de Soto lost his
own on the rocky coast of Spain, near Cadiz. His crew, although
pretending to be honest shipwrecked sailors, were arrested, but
de Soto managed to escape to Gibraltar. Here he was recognized by
a soldier who had seen de Soto when he took the Morning
Star, in which he had been a passenger. The pirate was
arrested, and tried before Sir George Don, the Governor of
Gibraltar, and sentenced to death. He was sent to Cadiz to be
hanged with the rest of his crew. The gallows was erected at the
water's edge, and de Soto, with his coffin, was conveyed there in
a cart. He died bravely, arranging the noose around his own neck,
stepping up into his coffin to do so; then, crying out, "Adios
todos," he threw himself off the cart.
This man must not be confused with one Bernado de Soto, who
was tried for piracy at Boston in 1834.
SOUND, Joseph.
Of the city of Westminster.
Hanged, at the age of 28, at Newport, Rhode Island, in
1723.[Pg
286]
SPARKS, James.
A Newfoundland fisherman.
In August, 1723, with John Phillips and three others, ran away
with a vessel to go "on the account." Sparks was appointed
gunner.
SPARKES, John.
A member of Captain Avery's crew, and described by one of his
shipmates as being "a true cock of the game." A thief, he robbed
his fellow-shipmates, and from one, Philip Middleton, he stole
270 pieces of gold.
Hanged at Execution Dock in 1696.
SPRATLIN, Robert.
Was one of Dampier's party which in 1681 crossed the Isthmus
of Darien, when he was left behind in the jungle with Wafer.
Spratlin was lost when the little party attempted to ford the
swollen Chagres River. He afterwards rejoined Wafer.
SPRIGGS, Captain Francis Farrington.
An uninteresting and bloody pirate without one single
redeeming character.
He learnt his art with the pirate Captain Lowther, afterwards
serving as quartermaster with Captain Low and taking an active
part in all the barbarities committed by the latter.
About 1720 Low took a prize, a man-of-war called the
Squirrel. This he handed over to some of the crew, who
elected Spriggs their captain. The ship they renamed the
Delight, and in the night altered their course and left
Low. They made a flag, bearing upon it a white skeleton, holding
in one hand a dart striking a bleeding heart, and in the other an
hourglass. Sailing to the West Indies, Spriggs took several
prizes, treating the crews with abominable cruelty. On one
occasion the pirates chased what[Pg 287] they believed to be
a Spanish ship, and after a long while they came alongside and
fired a broadside into her. The ship immediately surrendered, and
turned out to be a vessel the pirate had plundered only a few
days previously. This infuriated Spriggs and his crew, who showed
their disappointment by half murdering the captain. After a
narrow escape from being captured by a French man-of-war near the
Island of St. Kitts, Spriggs sailed north to the Summer Isles, or
Bermudas. Taking a ship coming from Rhode Island, they found her
cargo to consist of horses. Several of the pirates mounted these
and galloped up and down the deck until they were thrown. While
plundering several small vessels of their cargo of logwood in the
Bay of Honduras, Spriggs was surprised and attacked by an English
man-of-war, and the pirates only escaped by using their sweeps.
Spriggs now went for a cruise off the coast of South Carolina,
returning again to Honduras. This was a rash proceeding on
Spriggs's part, for as he was sailing off the west end of Cuba he
again met the man-of-war which had so nearly caught him before in
the bay. Spriggs clapped on all sail, but ran his ship on Rattan
Island, where she was burnt by the Spence, while Captain
Spriggs and his crew escaped to the woods.
SPRINGER, Captain.
He fought gallantly with Sawkins and Ringrose in the Battle of
Perico off Panama on St. George's Day in 1680. He gave his name
to Springer's Cay, one of the Samballoes Islands. This was the
rendezvous chosen by the pirates, where Dampier and his party
found the French pirate ship that rescued them after their famous
trudge across the Isthmus of Darien.
STANLEY, Captain. Buccaneer.
With a few other buccaneers in their stronghold at New
Providence Island in 1660, withstood an attack[Pg 288] by
a Spanish fleet for five days. The three English captains,
Stanley, Sir Thomas Whetstone, and Major Smith, were carried to
Panama and there cast into a dungeon and bound in irons for
seventeen months.
STEDMAN, Captain. Buccaneer.
In 1666, with Captain Searle and a party of only eighty men,
he took and plundered the Dutch island of Tobago. Later on, after
the outbreak of war with France, he was captured by a French
frigate off the Island of Guadeloupe. Stedman had a small vessel
and a crew of only 100 men, and found himself becalmed and unable
to escape, so he boldly boarded the Frenchman and fought for two
hours, being finally overcome.
STEPHENS, William.
Died on January 14th, 1682, on board of Captain Sharp's ship a
few days before their return to the Barbadoes from the South
Seas. His death was supposed to have been caused by indulging too
freely in mancanilla while ashore at Golfo Dulce. "Next morning
we threw overboard our dead man and gave him two French vollies
and one English one."
STEPHENSON, John.
Sailed as an honest seaman in the Onslow (Captain Gee)
from Sestos. Taken in May, 1721, by the pirate Captain Roberts,
he willingly joined the pirates. When Roberts was killed on board
the Royal Fortune, Stephenson burst into tears, and
declared that he wished the next shot might kill him. Hanged in
1722.
STILES, Richard.
Hanged in Virginia in 1718 with the rest of Captain Teach's
crew.[Pg
289]
STOREY, Thomas.
One of William Coward's crew which stole the ketch
Elinor in Boston Harbour. Condemned to be hanged on
January 27th, 1690, but afterwards reprieved.
ST. QUINTIN, Richard.
A native of Yorkshire.
One of M'Kinlie's crew that murdered Captain Glass and his
family in the Canary ship. Afterwards arrested at Cork and hanged
in chains near Dublin on March 19th, 1765.
STURGES, Captain.
An Elizabethan pirate, who had his headquarters at Rochelle.
In company with the notorious pirate Calles, he in one year
pillaged two Portuguese, one French, one Spanish, and also a
Scotch ship. His end is not known.
O'SULLIVAN, Lord. Receiver of pirate plunder.
The Sulivan Bere, of Berehaven in Ireland.
A notorious friend of the English pirates, he bought their
spoils, which he stored in his castle. He helped to fit out
pirate captains for their cruises, and protected them when Queen
Elizabeth sent ships to try and arrest them.
SUTTON, Thomas.
Born at Berwick in 1699.
Gunner in Roberts's ship the Royal Fortune. At his
trial he was proved to have been particularly active in helping
to take a Dutch merchantman, the Gertruycht. Hanged in
chains at Cape Coast Castle in April, 1722, at the age of
23.[Pg
290]
SWAN, Captain.
Commanded the Nicholas, and met Dampier when in the
Batchelor's Delight at the Island of Juan Fernandez in
1684. The two captains cruised together off the west coast of
South America, the Nicholas leaving Dampier, who returned
to England by way of the East Indies.
SWAN, Captain. Buccaneer.
Of the Cygnet. Left England as an honest trader.
Rounded the Horn and sailed up to the Bay of Nicoya, there taking
on a crew of buccaneers who had crossed the Isthmus of Darien on
foot. Dampier was appointed pilot or quartermaster to the
Cygnet, a post analogous to that of a navigating officer
on a modern man-of-war, while Ringrose was appointed supercargo.
Swan had an adventurous and chequered voyage, sometimes meeting
with successes, but often with reverses. Eventually he sailed to
the Philippine Islands, where the crew mutinied and left Swan and
thirty-six of the crew behind. After various adventures the
Cygnet, by now in a very crazy state, just managed to
reach Madagascar, where she sank at her anchorage.
SWITZER, Joseph.
Of Boston in New England.
Tried for piracy at Rhode Island in 1723, but found to be "not
guilty."
SYMPSON, David.
Born at North Berwick.
One of Roberts's crew. Tried and hanged at Cape Coast Castle
in 1722. On the day of execution Sympson was among the first six
prisoners to be brought up from the ship's hold to have their
fetters knocked[Pg 291] off and to be fitted with halters,
and it was observed that none of the culprits appeared in the
least dejected, except Sympson, who "spoke a little faint, but
this was rather imputed to a Flux that had seized him two or
three days before, than Fear." There being no clergyman in the
colony, a kindly surgeon tried to take on the duties of the
ordinary, but with ill-success, the hardened ruffians being quite
unmoved by his attempts at exhortation. In fact, the spectators
were considerably shocked, as indeed they well might be, by
Sympson, suddenly recognizing among the crowd a woman whom he
knew, calling out "he had lain with that B——h three
times, and now she was come to see him hanged."
Sympson died at the age of 36, which was considerably above
the average age to which a pirate might expect to live.
TAYLOR, Captain.
This formidable South Sea pirate must indeed have looked, as
well as acted, the part, since his appearance is described by
Captain Johnson as follows: "A Fellow with a terrible pair of
Whiskers, and a wooden Leg, being stuck round with Pistols, like
the Man in the Almanack with Darts."
This man Taylor it was who stirred up the crew of the
Victory to turn out and maroon Captain England, and elect
himself in his place. He was a villain of the deepest dye, and
burnt ships and houses and tortured his prisoners.
The pirates sailed down the West Coast of India from Goa to
Cochin, and returned to Mauritius. Thence sailing to the Island
of Mascarine they found a big Portuguese ship, which they took.
In her they discovered the Conde de Eviceira, Viceroy of Goa,
and, even better, four million dollars worth of diamonds.
Taylor, now sailing in the Cassandra, heard that there
were four men-of-war on his tracks, so he sailed[Pg 292] to
Delagoa Bay and spent the winter of the year 1722 there. It was
now decided that as they had a huge amount of plunder they had
better give up piracy, so they sailed away to the West Indies and
surrendered themselves to the Governor of Porto Bello. The crew
broke up and each man, with a bag of diamonds, went whither he
would; but Captain Taylor joined the Spanish service, and was put
in command of a man-of-war, which was sent to attack the English
logwood cutters in the Bay of Honduras.
TAYLOR, William.
One of Captain Phillips's crew. Wounded in the leg while
attempting to desert. There being no surgeon on board, a
consultation was held over the patient by the whole crew, and
these learned men were unanimous in agreeing that the leg should
be amputated. Some dispute then arose as to who should act the
part of surgeon, and at length the carpenter was chosen as the
most proper person. "Upon which he fetch'd up the biggest saw,
and taking the limb under his Arm, fell to Work, and separated it
from the Body of the Patient in as little Time as he could have
cut a Deal Board in two." This surgeon-carpenter evidently
appreciated the importance of aseptics, for, "after that he had
heated his Ax red hot in the Fire, cauteriz'd the Wound but not
with so much Art as he perform'd the other Part for he so burnt
the Flesh distant from the Place of Amputation that it had like
to have mortify'd." Taylor was tried and condemned to death at
Boston on May 12th, 1714, but for some reason not explained was
reprieved.
TEACH, Captain Edward, or
Thatch, or Thach, alias Drummond, alias Blackbeard.
Arch-pirate.
A Bristol man who settled in Jamaica, sailing in privateers,
but not in the capacity of an officer.[Pg
293]
In 1716, Teach took to piracy, being put in command of a sloop
by the pirate Benjamin Hornigold. In 1717, Hornigold and Teach
sailed together from Providence towards the American coast,
taking a billop from Havana and several other prizes. After
careening their vessels on the coast of Virginia, the pirates
took a fine French Guineaman bound to Martinico; this ship they
armed with forty guns, named her the Queen Ann's Revenge,
and Blackbeard went aboard as captain. Teach now had a ship that
allowed him to go for larger prizes, and he began by taking a big
ship called the Great Allen, which he plundered and then
set fire to. A few days later, Teach was attacked by H.M.S.
Scarborough, of thirty guns, but after a sharp engagement
lasting some hours, the pirate was able to drive off the King's
ship.
The next ship he met with was the sloop of that amateur pirate
and landsman, Major Stede Bonnet. Teach and Bonnet became friends
and sailed together for a few days, when Teach, finding that
Bonnet was quite ignorant of maritime matters, ordered the Major,
in the most high-handed way, to come aboard his ship, while he
put another officer in command of Bonnet's vessel. Teach now took
ship after ship, one of which, with the curious name of the
Protestant Cæsar, the pirates burnt out of spite,
not because of her name, but because she belonged to Boston,
where there had lately been a hanging of pirates.
Blackbeard now sailed north along the American coast, arriving
off Charleston, South Carolina. Here he lay off the bar for
several days, seizing every vessel that attempted to enter or
leave the port, "striking great Terror to the whole Province of
Carolina," the more so since the colony was scarcely recovered
from a recent visit by another pirate, Vane.
Being in want of medicines, Teach sent his lieutenant,
Richards, on shore with a letter to the[Pg 294]
Governor demanding that he should instantly send off a medicine
chest, or else Teach would murder all his prisoners, and
threatening to send their heads to Government House; many of
these prisoners being the chief persons of the colony.
Teach, who was unprincipled, even for a pirate, now commanded
three vessels, and he wanted to get rid of his crews and keep all
the booty for himself and a few chosen friends. To do this, he
contrived to wreck his own vessel and one of his sloops. Then
with his friends and all the booty he sailed off, leaving the
rest marooned on a small sandy island. Teach next sailed to North
Carolina, and with the greatest coolness surrendered with twenty
of his men to the Governor, Charles Eden, and received the Royal
pardon. The ex-pirate spent the next few weeks in cultivating an
intimate friendship with the Governor, who, no doubt, shared
Teach's booty with him.
A romantic episode took place at this time at Bath Town. The
pirate fell in love, not by any means for the first time, with a
young lady of 16 years of age. To show his delight at this
charming union, the Governor himself married the happy pair, this
being the captain's fourteenth wife; though certain Bath Town
gossips were heard to say that there were no fewer than twelve
Mrs. Teach still alive at different ports up and down the West
India Islands.
In June, 1718, the bridegroom felt that the call of duty must
be obeyed, so kissing good-bye to the new Mrs. Teach, he sailed
away to the Bermudas, meeting on his way half a dozen ships,
which he plundered, and then hurried back to share the spoils
with the Governor of North Carolina and his secretary, Mr.
Knight.
For several months, Blackbeard remained in the river, exacting
a toll from all the shipping, often going ashore to make merry at
the expense of the[Pg 295] planters. At length, things became
so unbearable that the citizens and planters sent a request to
the Governor of the neighbouring colony of Virginia for help to
rid them of the presence of Teach. The Governor, Spotswood, an
energetic man, at once made plans for taking the pirate, and
commissioned a gallant young naval officer, Lieutenant Robert
Maynard, of H.M.S. Pearl, to go in a sloop, the
Ranger, in search of him. On November 17, 1718, the
lieutenant sailed for Kicquetan in the James River, and on the
21st arrived at the mouth of Okerecock Inlet, where he discovered
the pirate he was in search of. Blackbeard would have been caught
unprepared had not his friend, Mr. Secretary Knight, hearing what
was on foot, sent a letter warning him to be on his guard, and
also any of Teach's crew whom he could find in the taverns of
Bath Town. Maynard lost no time in attacking the pirate's ship,
which had run aground. The fight was furious, Teach boarding the
sloop and a terrific hand-to-hand struggle taking place, the
lieutenant and Teach fighting with swords and pistols. Teach was
wounded in twenty-five places before he fell dead, while the
lieutenant escaped with nothing worse than a cut over the
fingers.
Maynard now returned in triumph in his sloop to Bath Town,
with the head of Blackbeard hung up to the bolt-spit end, and
received a tremendous ovation from the inhabitants.
During his meteoric career as a pirate, the name of Blackbeard
was one that created terror up and down the coast of America from
Newfoundland to Trinidad. This was not only due to the number of
ships Teach took, but in no small measure to his alarming
appearance. Teach was a tall, powerful man, with a fierce
expression, which was increased by a long, black beard which grew
from below his eyes and hung down to a great length. This he
plaited into many tails,[Pg 296] each one tied with a coloured
ribbon and turned back over his ears. When going into action,
Teach wore a sling on his shoulders with three pairs of pistols,
and struck lighted matches under the brim of his hat. These so
added to his fearful appearance as to strike terror into all
beholders. Teach had a peculiar sense of humour, and one that
could at times cause much uneasiness amongst his friends. Thus we
are told that one day on the deck of his ship, being at the time
a little flushed with wine, Blackbeard addressed his crew,
saying: "Come let us make a Hell of our own, and try how long we
can bear it," whereupon Teach, with several others, descended to
the hold, shut themselves in, and then set fire to several pots
of brimstone. For a while they stood it, choking and gasping, but
at length had to escape to save themselves from being
asphyxiated, but the last to give up was the captain, who was
wont to boast afterwards that he had outlasted all the rest.
Then there was that little affair in the cabin, when Teach
blew out the candle and in the dark fired his pistols under the
table, severely wounding one of his guests in the knee, for no
other reason, as he explained to them afterwards, than "if he did
not shoot one or two of them now and then they'd forget who he
was."
Teach kept a log or journal, which unfortunately is lost, but
the entries for two days have been preserved, and are worth
giving, and seem to smack of Robert Louis Stevenson in "Treasure
Island." The entries, written in Teach's handwriting, run as
follows:
"1718. Rum all out—Our Company somewhat sober—A
damn'd Confusion amongst us!—Rogues a plotting—great
Talk of Separation—so I look'd sharp for a Prize.
"1718. Took one, with a great deal of Liquor on Board, so kept
the Company hot, damned hot, then all Things went well
again."[Pg
297]
TEAGUE, Robert.
A Scotch pirate, one of Captain Gow's crew. On May 26th, 1725,
the crew were tried in London and found guilty and sentenced to
death, except Teague and two others who were acquitted.
TEMPLETON, John.
One of Captain John Quelch's crew of the ship Charles.
Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704, but, being discovered to be
not yet 14 years of age and only a servant on board the pirate
ship, was acquitted.
TEW, Captain Thomas, or Too.
A famous pirate, whose headquarters were at Madagascar. He was
mentioned by name in King William III.'s Royal Warrant to Captain
Kidd to go hunting for pirates, as a specially "wicked and
ill-disposed person."
He sailed with Captain Dew from the Barbadoes with a
Commission from the Governor to join with the Royal African
Company in an attack on the French factory at Goori, at Gambia.
Instead of going to West Africa, Tew and his crew turned pirates,
and sailed to the Red Sea. Here he met with a great Indian ship,
which he had the hardiness to attack, and soon took her, and each
of his men received as his share £3,000, and with this
booty they sailed to Madagascar. He was already held in high
esteem by the pirates who resided in that favourite stronghold.
At one time he joined Misson, the originator of
"piracy-without-tears" at his garden city of Libertatia. A
quarrel arose between Misson's French followers and Tew's English
pirates. A duel was arranged between the two leaders, but by the
tact of another pirate—an unfrocked Italian
priest—all was settled amicably, Tew being appointed
Admiral and the diplomatic[Pg 298] ex-priest suitably
chosen as Secretary of State to the little republic. Such a
reputation for kindness had Tew that ships seldom resisted him,
but on knowing who their assailant was they gave themselves up
freely. Some of Tew's men started a daughter colony on their own
account, and the Admiral sailed after them to try and persuade
them to return to the fold at Libertatia. The men refused, and
while Tew was arguing and trying to persuade them to change their
minds, his ship was lost in a sudden storm. Tew was soon rescued
by the ship Bijoux with Misson on board, who, with a few
men, had escaped being massacred by the natives. Misson, giving
Tew an equal share of his gold and diamonds, sailed away, while
Tew managed to return to Rhode Island in New England, where he
settled down for a while. To show the honesty of this man, being
now affluent, he kept a promise to the friends in Bermuda who
originally set him up with a ship, by sending them fourteen times
the original cost of the sloop as their just share of the
profits.
At last, Tew found the call of the sea and the lure of the
"grand account" too great to resist, and he consented to take
command of a pirate ship which was to go on a cruise in the Red
Sea. Arrived there, Tew attacked a big ship belonging to the
Great Mogul, and during the battle was mortally wounded.
His historian tells us "a shot carried away the rim of Tew's
belly, who held his bowels with his hands for some space. When he
dropped, it struck such terror to his men that they suffered
themselves to be taken without further resistance." Thus fell
fighting a fine sailor, a brave man, and a successful pirate, and
one who cheated the gallows awaiting him at Execution Dock.
THOMAS, Captain, alias Stede
Bonnet. [Pg 299]
THOMAS, John.
Of Jamaica.
This Welsh pirate was one of Major Stede Bonnet's crew of the
Royal James. Hanged at Charleston, South Carolina, in
1718.
THOMPSON, Captain.
A renegade pirate who joined the Barbary corsairs, becoming a
Mohammedan. Commanded a pirate vessel, and was taken prisoner off
the coast of Ireland by an Elizabethan ship. Hanged at
Wapping.
THURBAR, Richard.
Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704.
THURSTON, Captain. Buccaneer.
Of Tortuga Island.
Refused to accept the Royal offer of pardon of 1670, when all
commissions to privateer on the Spanish were revoked. Thurston,
with a mulatto, Diego, using obsolete commissions issued by the
late Governor of Jamaica, Modyford, continued to prey upon
Spanish shipping, carrying their prizes to Tortuga.
THWAITES, Captain Joseph.
Coxswain to Captain Hood, he was promoted in 1763 to be a
midshipman in H.M.S. Zealous, cruising in the
Mediterranean. Putting into Algiers, Thwaites was sent ashore by
the captain to buy some sheep, but did not return to the boat
and, it being supposed he had been assassinated, the ship sailed
without him. The fact was that young Thwaites, who spoke Turkish
and Greek, had accepted an invitation to enter the Ottoman
service. Embracing the Mohammedan religion, Thwaites was put in
command of a forty-four gun frigate.[Pg
300]
His first engagement was with the flagship of the Tunisian
Admiral, which he took and carried to Algiers. He soon brought in
another prize, and so pleased the Dey that he presented him with
a scimitar, the hilt of which was set with diamonds.
Thwaites, having soiled his hands with blood, now became the
pirate indeed, taking vessels of any nation, and drowning all his
prisoners by tying a double-headed shot round their necks and
throwing them overboard.
He stopped at no atrocity—even children were killed, and
one prisoner, an English lieutenant and an old shipmate of his,
called Roberts, he murdered without a second thought. When
Thwaites happened to be near Gibraltar, he would go ashore and
through his agents, Messrs. Ross and Co., transmit large sums of
money to his wife and children in England. But Thwaites had
another home at Algiers fitted with every luxury, including three
Armenian girls.
For several years this successful pirate plundered ships of
all nations until such pressure was brought to bear on the Dey of
Algiers that Thwaites thought it best to collect what valuables
he could carry away and disappear.
Landing at Gibraltar in 1796, dressed in European clothes, he
procured a passage to New York in an American frigate, the
Constitution. Arriving in the United States, he purchased
an estate not far from New York and built himself a handsome
mansion, but a year later retribution came from an unlooked-for
quarter, for he was bitten by a rattlesnake and died in the most
horrible agonies both of mind and body.
TOMKINS, John.
Of Gloucestershire.
Hanged at the age of 23 at Rhode Island in 1723. One of
Charles Harris's crew.[Pg 301]
TOPPING, Dennis.
He shipped on board the sloop Buck at Providence in
1718, in company with Anstis and other famous pirates. Was killed
at the taking of a rich Portuguese ship off the coast of
Brazil.
TOWNLEY, Captain. Buccaneer.
A buccaneer who in the year 1684 was one of the mixed English
and French fleet blockading Panama. On this occasion, he
commanded a ship with a crew of 180 men. By the next year the
quarrels between the English had reached such a pitch that
Townley and Swan left Davis and sailed in search of their French
friends. In May, 1685, Townley was amongst the company that took
and sacked Guayaquil. In January, 1686, Townley rescued the
French pirate Grogniet and some 350 Frenchmen who, when attacking
the town of Quibo, were surprised by a Spanish squadron, which
burnt their vessels while the crews were on shore. Townley then
sailed north with his French comrades and sacked Granada.
His next adventure was to take the town of Lavelia, near to
Panama, where he found a rich cargo which the Viceroy had placed
on shore because he was afraid to send it to sea when so many
pirates were about.
In August of the same year, Townley's ship was attacked by
three Spanish men-of-war. A furious fight took place, which ended
by two of the Spanish ships being captured and the third burnt.
In this action the gallant Townley was gravely wounded, and died
shortly afterwards.
TRISTRIAN, Captain. French buccaneer.
In the year 1681 Dampier, with other malcontents, broke away
from Captain Sharp and marched on foot[Pg 302]
across the Isthmus of Darien. After undergoing terrible hardships
for twenty-two days, the party arrived on the Atlantic seaboard,
to find Captain Tristrian with his ship lying in La Sounds
Cay.
The buccaneers bought red, blue, and green beads, and knives,
scissors, and looking-glasses from the French pirates to give to
their faithful Indian guides as parting gifts.
TRYER, Matthew.
A Carolina pirate, accused and acquitted on a charge of having
captured a sloop belonging to Samuel Salters, of Bermuda, in
1699.
TUCKER, Robert.
Of the Island of Jamaica.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Tried, condemned, and hanged
at Charleston, South Carolina, on November 8th, 1718. The
prisoners were not defended by counsel, because the members of
the South Carolina Bar still deemed it "a base and vile thing to
plead for money or reward." We understand that the barristers of
South Carolina have since persuaded themselves to overcome this
prejudice. The result was that, with the famous Judge Trott, a
veritable terror to pirates, being President of the Court of
Vice-Admiralty, the prisoners had short and ready justice, and
all but four of the thirty-five pirates tried were found
guilty.
TUCKERMAN, Captain.
Sailed with Captain Porter in the West Indies. Captain Johnson
gives an account of the meeting between these two pirate novices
and the great Captain Roberts at Hispaniola.[Pg
303]
TURNLEY, Captain Richard.
A New Providence pirate who received the general pardon from
Captain Woodes Rogers in 1718. When, a little later, the scandal
of Captain Rackam's infatuation for Anne Bonny was causing such
gossip among the two thousand ex-pirates who formed the
population of the settlement, it was Turnley who brought news of
the affair to the notice of the Governor. In revenge for this
action, Rackam and his lady, one day hearing that Turnley had
sailed to a neighbouring island to catch turtles, followed him.
It happened that Turnley was on shore hunting wild pigs and so
escaped, but Rackam sank his sloop and took his crew away with
him as prisoners.
TYLE, Captain Ort Van.
A Dutchman from New York.
A successful pirate in the days of the Madagascan sea-rovers.
For some time he sailed in company with Captain James, taking
several prizes in the Indian Ocean.
Van Tyle had a plantation at Madagascar and used to put his
prisoners to work there as slaves, one in particular being the
notorious Welsh pirate, David Williams, who toiled with Van
Tyles's other slaves for six months before making his escape to a
friendly tribe in the neighbourhood.
UPTON, Boatswain John.
Born in 1679 of honest parents at Deptford.
Apprenticed to a waterman, he afterwards went to sea, serving
on different men-of-war as a petty officer. Until July, 1723,
when 40 years of age, Upton lived a perfectly honest life, but
his wife dying, Upton found she had contracted various debts and
that he was in[Pg 304] danger of being arrested by the
creditors. Leaving his four orphans, Upton hurried to Poole in
Dorsetshire, and was taken on as boatswain in the John and
Elizabeth (Captain Hooper), bound for Bonavista in
Newfoundland. He seems to have continued to sail as an honest
seaman until November 14th, 1725, when serving as boatswain in
the Perry galley, on a voyage between Barbadoes and
Bristol, the vessel was taken by a pirate, Cooper, in the
Night Rambler. At his subsequent trial witnesses declared
that Upton willingly joined the pirates, signed their articles,
and was afterwards one of their most active and cruel men.
Upton kept a journal, which was his only witness for his
defence, in which he described how he was forced to sign the
pirates' articles under threats of instant death. If his journal
is to be believed, Upton escaped from the pirates at the first
opportunity, landing on the Mosquito coast. After being arrested
by the Spaniards as a spy, he was sent from one prison to another
in Central America, at last being put on board a galleon at Porto
Bello, to be sent to Spain. Escaping, he got aboard a New York
sloop and arrived at Jamaica in December, 1726. While at Port
Royal he was pressed on board H.M.S. Nottingham, serving
in her for more than two years as quartermaster, until one day he
was accused of having been a pirate. Under this charge he was
brought a prisoner to England in 1729, tried in London, and
hanged, protesting his innocence to the last.
URUJ. See Barbarossa.
VALLANUEVA, Captain.
A Dominican.
Commanded in 1831 a small gaff-topsail schooner, the
General Morazan, armed with a brass[Pg 305]
eight-pounder and carrying a mixed crew of forty-four men,
French, Italian, English, and Creoles of St. Domingo.
VANCLEIN, Captain Moses. Dutch filibuster.
Was serving with L'Ollonais's fleet off the coast of Yucatan
when a mutiny broke out, of which Vanclein was the ringleader. He
persuaded the malcontents to sail with him along the coast till
they came to Costa Rica. There they landed and marched to the
town of Veraguas, which they seized and pillaged. The pirates got
little booty, only eight pounds of gold, it proving to be a poor
place.
VANE, Captain Charles.
Famous for his piratical activities off the coast of North
America, specially the Carolinas.
In 1718, when Woodes Rogers was sent by the English Government
to break up the pirate stronghold in the Bahama Islands, all the
pirates at New Providence Island surrendered to Rogers and
received the King's pardon except Vane, who, after setting fire
to a prize he had, slipped out of the bay as Rogers with his two
men-of-war entered. Vane sailed to the coast of Carolina, as did
other West Indian pirates who found their old haunts too warm for
them.
Vane is first heard of as being actively engaged in stealing
from the Spaniards the silver which they were salving from a
wrecked galleon in the Gulf of Florida. Tiring of this, Vane
stole a vessel and ranged up and down the coast from Florida to
New York, taking ship after ship, until at last the Governor of
South Carolina sent out a Colonel Rhet in an armed sloop to try
and take him. On one occasion Vane met the famous Blackbeard,
whom he saluted with his great guns loaded with shot. This
compliment of one pirate chief to another was[Pg 306]
returned in like kind, and then "mutual civilities" followed for
several days between the two pirate captains and their crews,
these civilities taking the form of a glorious debauch in a quiet
creek on the coast.
Vane soon had a change of fortune, when, meeting with a French
man-of-war, he decided to decline an engagement and to seek
safety in flight, greatly to the anger of his crew. For this he
was obliged to stand the test of the vote of the whole crew, who
passed a resolution against his honour and dignity, and branded
him a coward, deprived him of his command, and packed him off
with a few of his adherents in a small sloop. Vane, not
discouraged by this reverse of fortune, rose again from the
bottom rung of the ladder to success, and quickly increased in
strength of ships and crew, until one day, being overcome by a
sudden tornado, he lost everything but his life, being washed up
on a small uninhabited island off the Honduras coast. Here he
managed to support life by begging food from the fishermen who
occasionally came there in their canoes.
At last a ship put in for water, commanded by one Captain
Holford, who happened to be an old friend of Vane's. Vane
naturally was pleased at this piece of good fortune, and asked
his dear old friend to take him off the island in his ship, to
which Holford replied: "Charles, I shan't trust you aboard my
ship, unless I carry you as a prisoner, for I shall have you
caballing with my men, knock me on the head, and run away with my
ship a-pirating." No promises of good behaviour from Vane would
prevail on his friend to rescue him; in fact, Captain Holford's
parting remark was that he would be returning in a month, and
that if he then found Vane still on the island he would carry him
to Jamaica to be hanged.
Soon after Holford's departure another ship put in for water,
none of the crew of which knew Vane by[Pg 307]
sight, and he was too crafty to let them find out the notorious
pirate he was. They consented to take off the shipwrecked
mariner, when, just as all seemed to be going well, back came the
ship of friend Holford. Holford, who seems to have been a
sociable kind of man, was well acquainted with the captain who
was befriending Vane, and Holford was invited to dine on board
his ship. As the guest was passing along the deck of his host's
ship on his way to the great cabin he chanced to glance down the
open hold, and there who should he see but his dear old friend
Vane hard at work; for he had already won his new master's good
graces by being a "brisk hand." Holford at once informed his host
that he was entertaining a notorious pirate, and with his consent
clapped Vane in irons, and removed him to his own ship, and when
he arrived in Jamaica handed his old friend to the justices, who
quickly tried, convicted, and hanged him.
VANHORN, Captain Nicholas. A Dutch filibuster.
Of Hispaniola.
Sailed from England in 1681 in command of the Mary and
Martha, alias the St. Nicholas, a merchant
ship. Vanhorn soon showed his hand by putting two of his
merchants ashore at Cadiz and stealing four Spanish guns. Next he
sailed to the Canary Islands, and then to the Guinea coast,
plundering ships and stealing negroes, until November, 1682, when
he arrived at the city of San Domingo. In April, 1683, he picked
up some 300 buccaneers at Petit Goave, and joined the filibuster
Laurens in the Gulf of Honduras with six other buccaneer
captains, who were planning an attack on the rich city of Vera
Cruz. The fleet arrived off the city in May, and the pirates,
hearing that the Spaniards were expecting the arrival of two
ships from Caracas, they crowded a landing party of 800 men into
two ships, and, displaying Spanish[Pg 308] colours, stood in
boldly for the city. The inhabitants, imagining these were the
ships they were expecting, actually lit bonfires to pilot them
into the harbour. Landing on May 17th two miles away, they soon
found themselves masters of the town and forts, all the sentinels
being asleep. For four days they plundered the churches,
convents, and houses, and threatened to burn the cathedral, in
which they had put all the prisoners, unless more booty was
forthcoming. An Englishman found the Governor hiding in some hay
in a loft, and he was ransomed for 70,000 pieces of eight. While
this was taking place a Spanish fleet of fourteen ships had
arrived from Cadiz, and anchored just outside the harbour, but
would not venture to land nor to attack the buccaneer ships. The
buccaneers, feeling it was time to depart, sailed right past the
fleet without opposition to a cay not far off, and there divided
the spoils; each of the 1,000 sailors getting 800 pieces of eight
as his share, while Vanhorn's own share, was 24,000 pieces of
eight. This division of the spoil did not take place without some
bickering, and the two leaders, Vanhorn and Laurens, came to
blows, and Vanhorn was wounded in the wrist. Although the wound
was little more than a scratch, he died of gangrene a fortnight
later.
It is significant that Vanhorn had originally been sent out by
the Governor of Hispaniola to hunt for pirates, but once out of
sight of land and away from authority the temptation to get rich
quickly was too great to resist, so that he joined the pirates in
the expedition to sack Vera Cruz.
VEALE, Captain.
On July 1st, 1685, he arrived at New London in a sloop, but
was compelled to hurry away, being recognized as a pirate by one
of the crew of a ship he had previously taken in
Virginia.[Pg 309]
VEALE, Thomas.
One of four New England pirates who in the middle of the
seventeenth century rowed up the Saugus river and landed at a
place called Lynn Woods. The boat contained, besides the pirates,
a quantity of plunder and a beautiful young woman. They built a
hut on Dungeon Rock, dug a well, and lived there until the woman
died. Three of the pirates were captured, and ended their days on
the gallows in England.
Thomas Veale escaped and went to live in a cave, where he is
supposed to have hidden his booty, but he continued to work as a
cordwainer. In the earthquake of 1658 the cave was blocked up by
pieces of rock, and Veale was never seen again.
VERPRE, Captain. French filibuster.
His ship Le Postillion carried a crew of twenty-five
men and was armed with two guns.
VIGERON, Captain. French filibuster.
Of San Domingo.
Commanded a bark, La Louse, thirty men and four
guns.
VILLA RISE.
In the year 1621 this Moorish pirate commanded a small
squadron of five vessels which took an English ship, the
George Bonaventure (Captain John Rawlins, Plymouth), in
the Straits of Gibraltar. One of the finest deeds ever achieved
by English sailors was the escape of Rawlins and some of his crew
from the Moors at Alexandria in a stolen ship.
van VIN, Moses. Buccaneer.
One of L'Ollonais's officers. After burning Puerto Cavallo and
torturing and murdering the inhabitants,[Pg 310]
L'Ollonais marched away to attack the town of San Pedro with 300
of his crew, leaving van Vin as his lieutenant to govern the rest
of his men during his absence.
VIRGIN, Henry.
Of Bristol.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew of the Royal James.
Hanged for piracy at White Point, Charleston, South Carolina, on
November 8th, 1718, and buried in the marsh below low-water
mark.
VIVON, Captain M. La. French filibuster.
Commanded the Cour Valant of La Rochelle. In December,
1668, his ship was seized by Captain Collier for having robbed an
English ship of provisions.
WAFER, Lionel. Surgeon, buccaneer, and author.
Believed to have been born about the year 1660.
He could speak Gaelic and also Erse, which languages he had
learnt during his childhood, which was spent partly in the
Highlands of Scotland and partly in Ireland.
In 1677 he sailed as mate to the surgeon of the Great
Ann, of London (Captain Zachary Browne), bound for Java.
Two years later, he again sailed as surgeon's mate on a voyage
to the West Indies. He deserted his ship at Jamaica and set
himself up as a surgeon at Port Royal, but one day meeting with
two noted buccaneers, Captain Linch and Captain Cook, he agreed
to sail with them as ship's surgeon.
Wafer's subsequent adventures are recounted by Basil Ringrose
in his "Dangerous Voyage and Bold Assaults of Captain Bartholomew
Sharp and Others," and by William Dampier in his "New Voyage
Round[Pg
311] the World." After taking part in 1679 in the
futile expedition of the buccaneers to Panama, Wafer joined the
party of malcontents who left Captain Sharp and returned on foot
across the Isthmus of Darien. Wafer was accidentally wounded in
the knee by an explosion of gunpowder on May 5th, 1681, which he
recounts in his narrative as follows: "I was sitting on the
ground near one of our Men, who was drying of Gunpowder in a
Silver Plate: But not managing it as he should, it blew up and
scorch'd my knee to that degree, that the bone was left bare, the
Flesh being torn away, and my Thigh burnt for a great way above
it. I applied to it immediately such Remedies as I had in my
knapsack: and being unwilling to be left behind by my companions,
I made hard shift to jog on."
The whole story of these adventures is told by Wafer in a book
he wrote, and which was published in London in 1699. It is called
"A New Voyage and Description of the Isthmus of America, giving
an Account of the Author's Abode there," and is illustrated by
some quaint copperplates.
Wafer and his companions suffered extreme hardships as they
struggled through the dense tropical jungle during the wettest
season of the year.
On one occasion when in danger of his life, Wafer was spared
by the Indians owing to his skill as a phlebotomist, after he had
been allowed to exhibit his skill to an Indian chief called
Lacentra, when he bled one of his wives so successfully that the
chief made Wafer his inseparable companion, to the no little
discomfort of the buccaneer, who wished to reach the Atlantic and
rejoin his companions who had left him behind.
Wafer described the birds, animals, fishes, and insects with
considerable minuteness, although it is obvious that he had no
special training in, or great[Pg 312] gift for, natural
history. Wafer eventually reached Philadelphia, where he availed
himself of King James's general pardon to pirates.
WAKE, Captain Thomas.
A notorious pirate, one of those particularly named in the
Royal Warrant issued in 1695 to Captain Kidd, authorizing him to
go in search of the American pirates.
WALDEN, John, alias "Miss Nanney."
Born in Somersetshire.
Taken in the Blessing, of Lymington, by Roberts in
Newfoundland, he joined the pirates, and was later on hanged at
the age of 24 in West Africa. Walden was one of Captain Roberts's
most active men. On taking Captain Traher's ship, Walden carried
a pole-axe with which he wrenched open locked doors and boxes. He
was a bold and daring man, of violent temper, and was known
amongst his shipmates by the nickname of Miss Nanney. He lost a
leg during the attack on the Swallow. After the pirates
took the King Solomon, Walden had to get up the anchor,
but he cut the cable, explaining to the captain that the weather
was too hot to go straining and crying "Yo Hope," and he could
easily buy another anchor when he got to London.
WANSLEY, Thomas.
A negro steward on the brig Vineyard, he mutinied and
assisted to murder the captain and mate, afterwards becoming one
of Captain Charles Gibbs's crew. Hanged at New York in February,
1831.
WANT, Captain.
A Carolina pirate who was referred to at the trial of Captain
Avery's crew at London in 1696.[Pg 313]
WARD.
One of the first English pirates to establish himself on the
Barbary coast in North Africa. By the year 1613 some thirty
others had their headquarters at the mouth of the Sebu River.
WARD, Captain.
As a poor English sailor he went to Barbary, turned
Mohammedan, offered his services to the Moors, and became captain
of a galley. He grew to be very rich, and "lived like a Bashaw in
Barbary."
WARREN, William.
Joined Captain Pound's crew from Lovell's Island.
WATERS, John.
Of Devonshire.
Quartermaster to Captain Charles Harris. Tried and hanged at
Newport, Rhode Island, on July 19th, 1734. Aged 35.
WATKINS, John.
An English soldier stationed at Fort Loyal, Falmouth, Maine.
Deserted and sailed with the pirate Pound. Killed at Tarpaulin
Cove in 1689.
WATLING, Captain John. Buccaneer.
When Bartholomew Sharp's crew mutinied on New Year's Day in
1681 on the Most Holy Trinity, they clapped their captain
in irons and put him down below on the ballast, and elected an
old pirate and a "stout seaman," John Watling, in his place. One
of the reasons for the revolt was said to be the ungodliness of
Captain Sharp.
Watling began his command by giving orders for[Pg 314]
the strict keeping of the Sabbath Day, and on January 9th the
buccaneers observed Sunday as a day apart, the first for many
months. One of the first acts of this godly Captain Watling was
to cruelly shoot an old man, a prisoner, whom he suspected, quite
wrongly, of not telling the truth.
On January 30th Watling headed a surprise attack on the town
of Arica in North Chile, but it turned out later that the
Spaniards had three days' warning of the intended attack, and had
gathered together no less than 2,000 defenders. A furious attack
was made, with great slaughter of the Spanish defenders and
considerable loss amongst the pirates. In one attack Watling
placed 100 of his prisoners in front of his storming party,
hoping this would prevent the enemy firing at them. After taking
the town, the buccaneers were driven out owing to the arrival of
a number of Lima soldiers. During the retreat from the town
Watling was shot in the liver and died. Perhaps he gave his name
to Watling Island in the Bahama Islands, the first spot of
America that Christopher Columbus ever saw, and a great resort of
the buccaneers.
WATSON, Henry.
One of Captain Lowther's crew in the Happy Delivery.
Hanged at St. Kitts on March 11th, 1722.
WATTS, Edward.
Born at Dunmore.
One of Captain Roberts's crew. Hanged in 1722 at the age of
22.
WATTS, Samuel.
Of Lovell's Island.
One of Captain Pound's crew.[Pg 315]
WATTS, William.
An Irishman.
Hanged, at the age of 23, along with the rest of Roberts's
crew.
WAY, John.
Tried at Boston in 1704 for piracy with the rest of the crew
of the Charles brigantine.
WEAVER, Captain Brigstock.
Of Hereford, England.
One of Captain Anstis's crew in the Good Fortune when
he took the Morning Star. After the prize had been
converted for Anstis's use, Weaver was given command of the
Good Fortune. He proved himself to be a capable pirate
captain, taking between fifty and sixty sailing ships in the West
Indies and on the Banks of Newfoundland.
Here are particulars of a few of his prizes:
In August, 1722, he took a Dutch ship, and out of her got 100
pieces of holland, value £800, and 1,000 pieces of eight.
On November 20th in the same year he plundered the
Dolphin, of London (Captain William Haddock), of 300
pieces of eight and forty gallons of rum.
Out of the Don Carlos (Lot Neekins, master) he stole
400 ounces of silver, fifty gallons of rum, 1,000 pieces of
eight, 100 pistols, and other valuable goods.
Out of the Portland, ten pipes of wine valued at
£250.
This period of prosperity came to an end, for in May, 1723,
Weaver, dressed in rags, was begging charity at the door of a Mr.
Thomas Smith in Bristol, telling a plausible tale of how he had
been taken and robbed by some wicked pirates, but had lately
managed to escape from them. The kindly Mr.[Pg 316]
Smith, together with a Captain Edwards, gave Weaver £10 and
provided him with a lodging at the Griffin Inn. Being now dressed
in good clothes, Weaver enjoyed walking about the streets of
Bristol, until one day he met with a sea-captain who claimed
former acquaintance and invited him into a neighbouring tavern to
share a bottle of wine with him. Over this the captain reminded
the pirate that he had been one of his victims, and that Weaver
had once stolen from him a considerable quantity of liquor; but
at the same time he had not forgotten that the pirate had used
him very civilly, and that therefore, if he would give him four
hogsheads of cider, nothing further would be said about the
matter. Weaver would not, or could not, produce these, and was
apprehended, brought to London, and there tried and sentenced to
death, and hanged at Execution Dock.
WELLS, Lieutenant Joseph.
An officer on board Captain John Quelch's Charles
galley. Attempted to escape at Gloucester, Massachusetts, in the
Larimore, but was captured by Major Sewell and brought to
Salem, and there secured in the town gaol until tried for piracy
at Boston in June, 1704.
WEST, Richard.
One of Captain Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts in March,
1722.
WETHERLEY, Tee.
A Massachusetts pirate, with only one eye. Captured in 1699
with the pirate Joseph Bradish and put in prison. They escaped
two months later. A reward of £200 was offered for the
recapture of Wetherley, which was gained by a Kennekeck Indian
called Essacambuit, who brought him back to prison.
He[Pg
317] was taken, in irons, to England in H.M.S.
Advice in 1700, and tried and hanged in London.
WHETSTONE, Sir Thomas, or Whitstone. Buccaneer.
In 1663 he commanded a ship, a Spanish prize, armed with seven
guns and carrying a crew of sixty men. In August, 1666, Sir
Thomas was with a small English garrison of some sixty men in the
buccaneer stronghold of New Providence in the Bahama Islands.
Suddenly a Spanish fleet arrived from Porto Bello, and after a
siege of three days the garrison capitulated. The three English
captains were carried prisoners to Panama and there cast into a
dungeon and bound in irons for seventeen months.
WHITE, Captain Thomas. South Sea pirate. An Englishman. Born
at Plymouth.
As a young man he was taken prisoner by a French pirate off
the coast of Guinea. The French massacred their prisoners by
painting targets on their chests and using them for rifle
practice. White alone was saved by an heroic Frenchman throwing
himself in front of him and receiving the volley in his own body.
White sailed with the French pirates, who were wrecked on the
coast of Madagascar. White himself managed to escape, and found
safety with a native, King Bavaw, but the French pirates were all
massacred. White not very long afterwards joined another pirate
ship, commanded by a Captain Read, with whom he sailed, helping
to take several prizes, amongst others a slave ship, the
Speaker. White soon found himself possessed of a
considerable fortune, and settled down with his crew at a place
called Methelage in Madagascar, marrying a native woman, and
leading the peaceful life of a planter. The call of piracy at
length proving irresistible, he sailed before the mast with
Captain Halsey, then returned to his native wife and home,
shortly afterwards to die of fever.[Pg 318]
In his will, he left legacies to various relatives and
friends, and appointed three guardians for his son, all of
different nationalities, with instructions that the boy should be
taken to England to be educated, which was duly done.
White was buried with the full ceremonies of the Church of
England, his sword and pistols being carried on his coffin, and
three English and one French volley fired over his grave.
WHITE, James.
Hanged in Virginia in 1718 along with the rest of Captain
Edward Teach's crew.
WHITE, Robert.
One of Captain George Lowther's crew. Hanged on March 22nd,
1722, at St. Kitts.
WHITE, William.
A Newfoundland fish-splitter. With John Phillips and three
others, he stole a fishing-boat at St. Peter's Harbour in
Newfoundland in August, 1723. The other four were made officers
in the pirate craft, White having the distinction of being the
only private man in the crew of five. He appears to have been a
man lacking in ambition, as he never showed any desire to become
even a petty officer amongst the pirates; in fact, we hear no
more of William until June 2nd, 1724, when he was hanged at
Boston and "dy'd very penitently, with the Assistance of two
grave Divines that attended him."
WHITTING, William.
One of Captain Quelch's crew. In 1704 we read that he "lyes
sick, like to dye, not yet examined" in the gaol at Marblehead,
when awaiting trial for piracy.[Pg 319]
WIFE, Francis.
An unwilling mutineer with Philip Roche in a French vessel
sailing from Cork in 1721.
WILES, William.
One of John Quelch's crew of the brigantine Charles.
Tried at Boston in 1704.
WILGRESS, Captain. Buccaneer.
Of Jamaica.
Sent by the Governor of Jamaica in 1670 to search for, and
capture or sink, a Dutchman called Captain Yallahs, who had
entered the Spanish service to cruise against the English logwood
cutters. But Wilgress, instead of carrying out his orders, went
a-buccaneering on his own account, chasing a Spanish vessel
ashore, stealing logwood, and burning Spanish houses along the
coast.
WILLIAMS, Captain John, alias "Yanky." Buccaneer.
In 1683, when the pirate Hamlin in his famous ship, La
Trompeuse, was playing havoc with the English shipping around
Jamaica, Governor Lynch offered Williams a free pardon, men,
victuals, and naturalization, and £200 as well if he would
catch the Frenchman.
WILLIAMS, Captain Morris. Buccaneer.
In November, 1664, he applied to Governor Modyford to be
allowed to bring into Port Royal, Jamaica, a rich prize of
logwood, indigo, and silver, and, in spite of the Governor's
refusal, he brought the ship in. The goods were seized and sold
in the interest of the Spanish owner. At this time the English
Government was doing all it could to stamp out the pirates and
buccaneers.[Pg 320]
WILLIAMS, Captain Paul.
A Carolina pirate, who began as a wrecker with the pirate
Bellamy in the West Indies. He later on took to piracy and ended
a not too glorious career by being hanged at Eastman,
Massachusetts. Williams was one of the pirates who accepted King
George's offer of pardon at New Providence Island in 1718.
WILLIAMS, David.
This son of a Welsh farmer was a poor pirate but a born
soldier. He was described by one who knew him as being morose,
sour, unsociable, and ill-tempered, and that he "knew as little
of the sea or of ships as he did of the Arts of Natural
Philosophy." But it is recorded to his credit that he was not
cruel. He started life in a merchant ship bound for India, and
was accidentally left behind in Madagascar. Taken care of by
friendly natives, he fought so well on the side of his
benefactors in an inter-tribal battle that the King made him his
intimate friend. A little later this tribe was wiped out and
Williams taken prisoner. The King of this hostile tribe, knowing
Williams to be a brave man, put him in charge of his army, for
his success as a leader was known far and wide. He was next
seized by a very powerful King, Dempaino, who made him
Commander-in-Chief over his army of 6,000 men, and supplied him
with slaves, clothes, and everything he could want. After several
years as commander of Dempaino's army, a pirate ship, the
Mocha (Captain Culliford), arrived on the coast, and
Williams escaped in her and went for a cruise. He was afterwards
captured by the Dutch pirate Ort Van Tyle of New York, and made
to work as a slave on his plantation. After six months he escaped
and sought safety with a Prince Rebaiharang, with whom he lived
for a year. He[Pg 321] next joined a Dutchman, Pro, who
had a small settlement, to be again taken prisoner by an English
frigate. In a skirmish between the crew and some natives,
Williams and Pro managed to escape, and, procuring a boat, joined
Captain White's pirates at Methalage, in Madagascar.
Williams now spent his time pirating, unsuccessfully, until
one day in a sloop he attempted a raid on an Arab town at Boyn.
This attempt proved a fiasco, and Williams was caught by the
Arabs, cruelly tortured, and finally killed by a lance thrust. He
was so loved and admired by the Madagascar natives that his
friend and benefactor, King Dempaino, seized the Arab chief of
Boyn and executed him in revenge for the death of Williams.
Williams seems to have been as much beloved by the natives as he
was hated by men of his own colour. As a pirate he was a failure,
but as a soldier of fortune with the native tribes he was a great
success.
WILLIAMS, John.
A Cornish pirate, who sailed from Jamaica with Captain
Morrice, and was captured by the Dutch. Eventually he reached
Boston, and sailed with Captain Roderigo in 1674 in the Edward
and Thomas, a Boston vessel.
Tried for piracy, but acquitted.
WILLIAMS, Lieutenant James. Welsh pirate.
Sailed as a hand on board the George galley from
Amsterdam in 1724. Conspiring with Gow to bring about a mutiny,
he took an active part in murdering the captain, the chief mate,
super cargo, and surgeon. Gow promoted him to be his mate. He was
a violent, brutal man, and a bully. On one occasion, he accused
Gow of cowardice, and snapped his pistol in Gow's face, but the
weapon failed to go off, and two seamen[Pg 322]
standing by shot Williams, wounding him in the arm and belly. The
next day Gow sent away a crew of prisoners in a sloop he had
taken and plundered, and Williams, heavily manacled, was cast
into the hold of this vessel, with orders that he should be given
up as a pirate to the first English man-of-war they should meet
with. He was taken to Lisbon and there put on board H.M.S.
Argyle, and carried to London. When Gow and his crew
eventually arrived in irons at the Marshalsea Prison, they found
Williams already there awaiting trial. Hanged at Newgate on June
11th, 1725, his body being hanged in chains at Blackwall.
WILLIAMS, William.
"Habitation—nigh Plymouth."
One of Captain Roberts's crew. Deserted the pirates at Sierra
Leone, but was delivered up by the negroes, and as a punishment
received two lashes from the whole ship's company. Hanged at the
age of 40.
WILLIS, Robert.
One of Captain George Lowther's crew. Tried for piracy at St.
Kitts in March, 1722, and acquitted.
WILSON, Alexander.
One of the mutineers of the ship Antonio. Hanged at
Boston in 1672.
WILSON, George. Surgeon and pirate.
Originally he sailed as surgeon in a Liverpool ship, the
Tarlton, which was taken by the pirate Bartholomew
Roberts. Wilson voluntarily joined the pirates. One day, being
accidentally left on shore, he had to remain amongst the negroes
at Sestos on the West[Pg 323] Coast of Africa for five months,
until he was eventually rescued by a Captain Sharp, of the
Elizabeth, who ransomed Wilson for the value of £3
5s. in goods. Wilson was again captured by Roberts, and served
with him as surgeon. At his trial for piracy at Cape Coast Castle
in 1722, witnesses proved that Wilson was "very alert and
cheerful at meeting with Roberts, hailed him, told him he was
glad to see him, and would come on board presently, borrowing a
clean Shirt and Drawers" from the witness "for his better
Appearance and Reception: signed the Articles willingly," and
tried to persuade him, the witness, to sign also, as then they
would each get £600 or £700 a man in the next voyage
to Brazil.
When the election of senior surgeon took place, Wilson wanted
to be appointed, as then he would receive a bigger share of the
booty. Wilson became very intimate with Captain Roberts, and told
him that if ever they were taken by one of the "Turnip-Man's
ships"—i.e., a man-of-war—they would blow up
their ship and go to hell together. But the surgeon proved such a
lazy ruffian, neglecting to dress the wounded crew, that Roberts
threatened to cut his ears off.
At the trial Wilson was found guilty and condemned to be
hanged, but his execution was withheld until the King's pleasure
was known, because it was believed that owing to information
given by Wilson a mutiny of the prisoners was prevented.
WILSON, James.
Of Dublin.
One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew in the Royal James.
Hanged at Charleston, South Carolina, on November 8th, 1718, and
buried in the marsh below low-water mark.[Pg
324]
WILSON, John.
Of New London County.
Tried for piracy in 1723 at Newport, Rhode Island, and
acquitted.
WINTER, Captain Christopher.
Of New Providence Island.
He took a sloop off the coast of Jamaica, the mate on board
which was one Edward England, who, on Winter's persuasion, turned
pirate and soon reached the summit of his new profession.
In 1718 Winter accepted the King's offer of pardon to all
pirates who surrendered. Winter soon afterwards not only returned
to piracy, but did even worse, for he surrendered to the Spanish
Governor of Cuba, and turned Papist. From Cuba he carried on
piracy, chiefly preying on English vessels, and made raids on the
coast of Jamaica, stealing slaves, which he took away to Cuba.
The Governor of Jamaica, Sir Nicholas Laws, sent Lieutenant
Joseph Laws, in H.M.S. Happy snow, to demand the surrender
of Winter and another renegade, Nicholas Brown, but nothing
resulted but an exchange of acrimonious letters between the
Lieutenant and the Governor of Cuba.
WINTER, John.
One of Gow's crew in the Revenge. Hanged in 1725 at
Wapping.
WINTER, William, alias Mustapha.
A renegade English sailor amongst the Algiers pirates. Taken
prisoner in the Exchange, on which vessel he was
carpenter.[Pg 325]
WINTHROP.
One of Fly's crew. Took an active part in the mutiny aboard
the Elizabeth. Winthrop it was who chopped off the hand of
Captain Green, and in a fight with Jenkins, the mate, severed his
shoulder with an axe and then threw the still living officer
overboard. He was hanged at Boston on July 4th, 1726.
WITHERBORN, Captain Francis.
Captured, with his ship, by Major Beeston and brought to
Jamaica. Tried for piracy at Port Royal, he was condemned to
death, and sent a prisoner to England.
WOLLERVY, Captain William.
A New England pirate who sailed in company with a Captain
Henley in 1683 off the Island of Elenthera. He burnt his vessel
near Newport, Rhode Island, where he and his crew disappeared
with their plunder.
WOOD, William.
Native of York.
One of Captain Roberts's crew. Hanged in April, 1722, at the
age of 27.
WORLEY, Captain.
His reign was short, lasting but six months from start to
finish. He was first heard of in September, 1718, when he set
out, in company with eight other desperadoes, from New York in a
small open boat "upon the account." They were provided with a few
biscuits, a dried tongue, and a keg of water, half a dozen old
muskets and some ammunition. They sailed down the coast for 150
miles, entered the river Delaware, and rowed up to Newcastle, and
there seized[Pg 326] a shallop. The news of this
enterprise was quickly spread abroad, and roused the whole coast.
Going down the river again, still in their open boat, they took
another sloop belonging to a mulatto called Black Robbin. They
changed into this sloop, and next day met with another sloop from
Hull, which suited their purpose better. By now the country was
much alarmed, and the Government sent out H.M.S.
Phœnix, of twenty guns, to cruise in search of the
pirates. In the meantime the latter sailed to the Bahama Islands
and took another sloop and a brigantine. Worley now commanded a
tidy craft of six guns and a crew of twenty-five men, and flew a
black ensign with a white death's head upon it. So far all had
gone well with the pirates, but one day, when cruising off the
Cape of Virginia, Worley sighted two sloops as he thought making
for the James River, but which were really armed vessels sent in
search of him. Worley stood in to cut them off, little dreaming
what they really were. The two sloops and the pirate ship all
standing in together, Worley hoisted his black flag. This
terrified the inhabitants of Jamestown, who thought that three
pirates were about to attack them. Hurried preparations for
defence were made, when all of a sudden the people on shore were
surprised to see the supposed pirates fighting amongst
themselves. No quarter was asked, and the pirates were all killed
in hand-to-hand fighting except Captain Worley and one other
pirate, who were captured alive but desperately wounded. The
formalities were quickly got through for trying these two men, so
that next day they were hanged before death from their wounds
could save them from their just punishment. "Thus," writes
Captain Johnson, "Worley's beginning was bold and desperate, his
course short and prosperous, and his end bloody and
disgraceful."[Pg 327]
WORMALL, Daniel.
Master on the brigantine Charles, commanded by Captain
John Quelch. Attempted to escape from Gloucester, Massachusetts,
by sailing off in the Larimore galley, but was followed
and caught by Major Sewell and taken to Salem. Here he was kept
in the town gaol until sent to Boston to be tried for piracy in
June, 1704.
YALLAHS, Captain, or Yellows. A Dutch buccaneer.
In 1671 fled from Jamaica to Campeachy, there selling his
frigate to the Spanish Governor for 7,000 pieces of eight. He
entered the Spanish service to cruise against the English logwood
cutters, at which business he was successful, taking more than a
dozen of these vessels off the coast of Honduras.
YEATES, Captain.
In 1718 this Carolina pirate commanded a sloop which acted as
tender to Captain Vane. When at Sullivan Island, Carolina,
Yeates, finding himself master of a fine sloop armed with several
guns and a crew of fifteen men, and with a valuable cargo of
slaves aboard, slipped his anchor in the middle of the night and
sailed away.
Yeates thought highly of himself as a pirate and had long
resented the way Vane treated him as a subordinate, and was glad
to get a chance of sailing on his own account. Yeates, having
escaped, came to North Edisto River, some ten leagues off
Charleston. There, sending hurried word to the Governor to ask
for the Royal pardon, he surrendered himself, his crew, and two
negro slaves. Yeates was pardoned, and his negroes were returned
to Captain Thurston, from whom they had been stolen.
ZEKERMAN, Andrew.
A Dutch pirate, one of Peter M'Kinlie's gang, who murdered
Captain Glass and his family on board a ship sailing from the
Canary Islands to England. Zekerman was the most brutal of the
whole crew of mutineers.
He was hanged in chains near Dublin on December 19th,
1765.
Some Famous Pirate Ships, With Their Captains
Black Joke |
Captain |
de Soto. |
Bravo |
" |
Power. |
Flying Horse |
" |
Rhoade. |
Fortune |
" |
Bartholomew Roberts. |
Royal Fortune |
" |
Bartholomew Roberts. |
Good Fortune |
" |
Bartholomew Roberts. |
Batchelor's Delight |
" |
Dampier. |
Delight |
" |
Spriggs. |
Flying King |
" |
Sample. |
Night Rambler |
" |
Cooper. |
Cour Valant |
" |
La Vivon. |
Most Holy Trinity |
" |
Bartholomew Sharp. |
Flying Dragon |
" |
Condent. |
Sudden Death |
" |
Derdrake. |
Scowerer |
" |
Evans. |
Queen Ann's Revenge |
" |
Teach. |
Happy Delivery |
" |
Lowther. |
Snap Dragon |
" |
Goldsmith. |
Revenge |
Captains |
Cowley, Bonnet, Gow, Phillips, and others. |
Bonne Homme Richard |
Captain |
Paul Jones. |
Blessing |
" |
Brown. |
New York Revenge's Revenge |
" |
Cole. |
Mayflower |
" |
Cox. |
Childhood |
" |
Caraccioli. |
Liberty |
" |
Tew. |
Transcriber's notes:
Despite consuming (I suspect) large amounts of rum while
writing this, the author saved none of it for me. I, therefore,
refuse to correct any of his mistakes.
... except this one on page 321:
Wiliams corrected to Williams, as per rest of same entry.
The entry on page 75 for "CHURCH,
CHARLES" ends abruptly, as per original.
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Pirates' Who's Who,
by Philip Gosse