Coffee Break Collection 018 - Pirates - Various

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A BALLAD OF JOHN SILVER A BALLAD OF JOHN SILVER and we flew the pretty colors of the crossbones and the skull.

We'd a big black Jolly Roger flapping grimly at the fore, and we sailed the Spanish water in the happy days of yore.

We'd a long brass gun amidships like a well-conducted ship.

We had a brace of pistols and a cutlass at the hip.

It's a point which tells against us and a fact to be deplored, but we chased the goodly merchantmen and laid their ships aboard." then the dead men fouled the scuppers and the wounded filled the chains and the paintwork all was splatter dashed with other people's brains she was boarded she was looted she was scuttled till she sank and the pale survivors left us by the medium of the plank oh then it was while standing by the taffrail on the poop we could hear the drowning folk lament the absent chicken coop than having washed the blood away we'd little else to do than to dance a quiet hornpipe as the old salts taught us to do oh the fiddle on the forecastle and the slapping naked souls and the genial down the middle jake and curtsey when she rolls with the silver seas around us and the pale moon overhead and the lookout not a-looking and his pipe-bowl glowing red ah the pig-tailed quitting pirates and the pretty pranks we played All have since been put a stop to by the naughty board of trade.

The schooners and the merry crews are laid away to rest.

A little south the sunset in the islands of the blessed.

An old song re-sung I saw a ship a-sailing, a-sailing, a-sailing, With emeralds and rubies and sapphires in her hold, And a bosun in a blue coat bawling at the railing, Piping through a silver caul that had a chain of gold.

The summer wind was failing, and the tall ship rolled.

I saw a ship a-steering, a-steering, a-steering, with roses and red thread worked upon her sails, with sacks of purple amethysts, the spoils of buccaneering, skins of musky yellow wine, and silks and bales.

Her merry men were cheering, hauling on the brails.

I saw a ship a-sinking, a-sinking, a-sinking, with glittering seawater splashing on her decks, with seamen in her spirit room, singing songs and drinking, pulling claret bottles down and knocking off the necks.

The broken glass was chinking as she sank among the wrecks.

The Adventures, Trial and Execution of Captain Gao by Charles Elms Coffee Break Collection 18 Pirates This is a LibriVox recording.

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For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Adventures, Trial and Execution of Captain Gao Captain Gao sailed from amsterdam in july seventeen twenty four on board the george galley for santa cruz where they took in beeswax scarcely had they sailed from that place when gow and several others who had formed a conspiracy seized the vessel one of the conspirators cried there is a man overboard the captain instantly ran to the side of the vessel when he was seized by two men who attempted to throw him over he however so struggled that he escaped from their hands one winter with a knife attempted to cut him at the throat but missing his aim the captain was yet saved but gow coming aft shot him through the body and throwing him over the rail he caught hold of the main sheet but gow taking up an axe with two blows so disabled him that he fell into the sea and was drowned the conspirators proceeded to murder all who were not in their horrid plot which being done james williams came upon deck and striking one of the guns with his cutlass saluted gow in the following words captain gow you are welcome welcome to your command williams was declared lieutenant and the other officers being appointed the captain addressed them saying if hereafter i see any of you whispering together or if any of you refuse to obey my orders let every such man depend upon it that he shall certainly go the same way as those that are just gone before their first prize was the sarah snow of bristol after they had rifled the vessel and received one man from it they allowed her to prosecute her voyage the delight of pool was the next vessel that fell into their hands but they not long after captured two others from which they received a quantity of fish and from the other bread beef and pork they also forced two men from the latter ship a french ship not long after furnished them with wine oil figs oranges and lemons to the value of five hundred pounds in a short time after they captured their last prize and as she made no resistance they plundered and dismissed her they next sailed for the orkney isles to clean but were apprehended by a gentleman of that country brought up to london and tried before a court of admiralty in may seventeen twenty five when the first indictment was read gow obstinately refused to plead for which the court ordered his thumbs to be tied together with whip cord The punishment was several times repeated by the executioner and another officer.

They joined the cord every time till it broke.

But he still being stubborn, refusing to submit to the court, the sentence was pronounced against him, which the law appoints in such cases, that is, that he should be taken back to prison and there pressed to death.

The jailer was then ordered to conduct him back and see that the sentence was executed the next morning.

meanwhile the trials of the prisoners his companions went forward but the next morning when the press was prepared pursuant to the order of the court the day before he was so terrified with the apprehension of dying in that manner that he sent his humble petition to the court praying that he might be admitted to plead this request being granted he was brought again to the bar and arraigned upon the first indictment to which he pleaded not guilty then the depositions that had been given against the other prisoners were repeated upon which he was convicted and received the sentence of death accordingly which he suffered in company with captain weaver and william ingham the stories of these two men are so interwoven with others that it will be impossible to distinguish many of their particular actions they were however proved to have been concerned if not the principal actors in the following piracies first the seizing a dutch ship in august seventeen twenty two and taking from thence a hundred pieces of holland value eight hundred pounds a thousand pieces of eight value two hundred and fifty pounds secondly the entering and pillaging the Dolphin of London, William Haddock, out of which they got 300 pieces of eight, value £75, 40 gallons of rum and other things on the 20th of November in the same year.

Thirdly, the stealing out of a ship called the Don Carlos Lotnikins, master, 400 ounces of silver, value £100, 50 gallons of rum, value 30 shillings, 1,000 pieces of eight, a hundred pistoles and other valuable goods and fourthly the taking from a ship called the england ten pipes of wine value two hundred and fifty pounds the two last charges both in the year seventeen twenty one weaver returned home and came to mr thomas smith at bristol in a very ragged condition and pretending that he had been robbed by pirates smith who had been acquainted with him eight or nine years before provided him with necessaries and he walked about unmolested for some time but captain joseph smith who knew him when a pirate one day met him and asked him to go and take a bottle with him when they were both in the tavern he told him that he had been a considerable sufferer by his boarding his vessel therefore said he as i understand that you are in good circumstances i expect that you will make me some restitution which if you do i will never hurt a hair of your head because you were very civil to me when i was in your hands But as this recompense was never given, Weaver was apprehended and executed.

End of The Adventures, Trial and Execution of Captain Gow by Charles Elms

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adventure with pirates adventure with pirates adventure with pirates there lived not many years ago on the eastern shore of mount desert a large island off the coast of maine an old fisherman by the name of jedediah spinet who owned a schooner of some hundred tons burden in which he together with some four stout sons was wont to go about once a year to the grand banks for the purpose of catching codfish the old man had five things upon the peculiar merits of which he loved to boast his schooner betsy jenkins and his four sons the four sons were all their father represented them to be and no one ever doubted his word when he said that their like was not to be found for fifty miles around the oldest was thirty-two while the youngest had just completed his twenty-sixth year and they answered to the names of seth andrew john and samuel one morning a stranger called upon jedediah to engage him to take to havana some iron machinery belonging to steam engines for sugar plantations the terms were soon agreed upon and the old man and his sons immediately set about putting the machinery on board that accomplished they set sail for havana with a fair wind and for several days proceeded on their course without any adventure of any kind one morning however a vessel was descried off their starboard quarter which after some hesitation the old man pronounced a pirate there was not much time allowed them for doubting for the vessel soon saluted them with a very agreeable whizzing of an eighteen-pound shot under the stern that means for us to heave to remarked the old man then i guess we'd better do it hadn't we said seth of course accordingly the betsy jenkins was brought up into the wind and her main boom hauled over to windward now boys said the old man as soon as the schooner came to a stand all we can do is to be as cool as possible and to trust to fortune there is no way to escape that i can see now but perhaps if we are civil they will take such stuff as they want then let us go at any rate there is no use crying about it for it can't be helped now get your pistols and see that they are surely loaded and have your knives ready but be sure and hide them so that the pirates shall see no show of resistance in a few moments all the arms which the schooner afforded with the exception of one or two old muskets were secured about the persons of our downeasters and they quietly awaited the coming of the schooner one word more boys said the old man just as the pirate came round under the stern now watch every movement i make and be ready to jump the moment i speak as captain spinet ceased speaking the pirate luffed under the fisherman's lee-quarter and in a moment more the latter's deck was graced with the presence of a dozen as savage-looking mortals as eyes ever rested upon are you the captain of this vessel demanded the leader of the boarders as he approached the old man yes sir what is your cargo machinery for engines nothing else asked the pirate with a searching look at this moment captain spinet's eye caught what looked like a sail off to the southward and eastward but no sign betrayed the discovery and while a brilliant idea shot through his mind he hesitatingly replied well there is a lethal something else ha and what is it why sir perhaps i hadn't ought to tell said captain spinet counterfeiting the most extreme perturbation you see twas given to me as a sort of trust and twouldn't be right for me to give up you can take anything else you please for i s'pose i can't help myself you are an honest codger at any rate said the pirate but if you would live ten minutes longer just tell me what you've got on board and exactly where it lays the sight of the cocked pistol brought the old man to his senses and in a deprecating tone he muttered don't kill me sir don't i'll tell you all we have got forty thousand silver dollars nailed up in boxes and stowed away under some of the boxes just forward of the cabin bulkhead but mr defoe didn't suspect that anybody would have thought of looking for it there perhaps so chuckled the pirate while his eyes sparkled with delight and then turning to his own vessel he ordered all but three of his men to jump on board the yankee in a few moments the pirates had taken off the hatches and in their haste to get at the silver dollars they forgot all else but not so with spinet he had his wits at work and no sooner had the last of the villains disappeared below the hatchway than he turned to his boys now boys for our lives seth you clap your knife across the fore throat and peak halyards and you john cut the main be quick now and the moment you've done it jump aboard the pirate andrew and sam you cast off the pirate's grapplings and then you jump then we'll walk into them three chaps aboard the clipper now for it no sooner were the last words out of the old man's mouth than his sons did exactly as they had been directed the fore and main halyards were cut and the two grapplings cast off at the same instant and as the heavy gaffs came rattling down our five heroes leaped on board the pirate the moment the clipper felt at liberty her head swung off and before the astonished buccaneers could gain the decks of the fishermen their own vessel was a cable's length to leeward sweeping gracefully away before the wind while the three men left in charge were easily secured hullo there shouted captain spinett as the luckless pirates crowded around the lee gangway of their prize when you find them silver dollars just let us know will you half a dozen pistol shots was all the answer the old man got but they did him no harm and crowding up all sail he made for the vessel he had discovered which lay dead to leeward of him and which he made out to be a large ship the clipper cut through the water like a dolphin and in a remarkably short space of time spinet luffed up under the ship's stern and explained all that had happened the ship proved to be an east indiaman bound for charleston having all told thirty men on board twenty of whom at once jumped into the clipper and offered their services in helping to take the pirate before dark captain spinet was once more within hailing distance of his own vessel and raising a trumpet to his mouth he shouted schooner ahoy will you quietly surrender yourselves prisoners if we come on board come and try it returned the pirate captain as he brandished his cutlass above his head in a threatening manner which seemed to indicate that he would fight to the last but that was his last moment for seth was crouched below the bullocks taking deliberate aim along the barrel of a heavy rifle and as the bloody villain was in the act of turning to his men the sharp crack of seth spinet's weapon rang its fatal death-peal and the next moment the captain fell back into the arms of his men with a brace of bullet in his heart now shouted the old man as he levelled the long pivot gun and seized a lighted match i'll give you just five minutes to make your minds up in and if you don't surrender i'll blow every one of you into the other world the death of their captain and withal the sight of the pivot gun its peculiar properties they knew full well brought the pirates to their senses and they threw down their weapons and agreed to give themselves up in two days from that time captain spinet delivered his cargo safely in havana gave the pirate into the hands of the civil authorities and delivered the clipper up to the government in return for which he received a sum of money sufficient for an independence during the remainder of his life as well as a very handsome medal from the government adventure with pirates

Capture of a Chinese Pirate Fleet by Anonymous from the Royal Gazette, September 20, 1853.

Coffee Break Collection 18 Pirates This is a LibriVox recording.

All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.

For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Colleen McMahon Capture of a Chinese Pirate Fleet The Friend of China details the destruction of a pirate fleet in the Chinese seas by HMSS Rattler, Commander Melrush.

The latter received advices May 5th that the Speck, a small English steamer employed in convoying Chinese junks, had been so riddled by the pirate shot that she was compelled to leave the vessels to their fate.

the result of which was that the pirates took the hull and held them for a ransom of ten thousand dollars captain m being at amoy immediately culled the rattler and by great exertions left the next morning and about seven p m same day reached the mouth of the min here the wind was so strong as to prevent communication with the shore At 4 a.m. on the 10th, Mr.

West, master, was sent to reconnoiter, and at 3.30 p.m. he returned with the spec and intelligence that the piratical fleet were still at Nam Quang, waiting the ransom money, which they were advised had been sent to them over land.

At 5.30, Rattler, with spec in tow, proceeded.

The 11th broke with a thick fog, and the ship had to lie until 8 a.m.

When, the fog lifting, single rock was seen about one and a half miles abeam, the pirate's haven seven miles distant.

Rattler now dashed on, the fog still hanging so thick over the hills as to prevent the pirate's lookout from seeing her until she was right in among them.

Then commenced the panic.

Cutting cables and making sail, they stood for the entrance of the harbor, but a strong flood tide swept them inwards and they prepared in earnest for close action.

Rattler now opened the ball with a shot across the bows of one vessel making for the river.

whereupon the whole fleet seven heavily armed junks and lorca nineteen opened a fire of round shot grape and pieces of chain about a foot long tied together their aim being too high only a few shots struck the steamer giving them two broadsides from her starboard battery rattler passed up turned and took position stem on the tide then steaming towards them she opened fire upon this the pirates bore up with intent to board Lieutenant Pidcock, afterwards killed, tending the large eight-inch gun, took steady aim and sent a shell right into the pirate chief's large junk, which, catching the magazine, caused her to blow up with all hands, the explosion also sinking a vessel near her.

The Lorca then dropped astern, ceased firing, and hoisted Portuguese colors at the mizzen, and French at the main.

The others made the best of their way to the shore, the pirates jumping overboard and swimming to land.

There they were met by the villagers, who knocked them on the head as they reached the beach, many being speared and stoned to death in the water.

Rattler now lowered her boats, and in charge of Commander Dorville, Mr.

West and Messrs. Wilcox and Elliot, mates, took possession of the fleet with little or no resistance.

Up to this period the casualties on our side were trifling.

but accounts having been brought that some of the pirates had captured a small junk, killed the crew, and were doing their best to get up the river, Lieutenant Pitcock gave chase in the cutter.

He soon came up with the miscreants in two junks, one of which he had boarded when the other dropped alongside, and some fifty men who were hidden in the vessel in possession, rushed up and overpowered them.

The last scene of Lieutenant P. alive was on his knees, with his sword through a chinese borne down by half a dozen spears two had fallen by his hand just as he fell george ryder quartermaster and juno phillips a s both went down with him side by side fighting desperately to the last the rest of the cutter's crew were driven overboard all bearing honorable testimony to the brave defense of their gallant comrades edward ward ordinary seaman has no less than fifteen spear wounds The people on shore behaved admirably, and by their aid Rattler's wounded men got on board their ship.

The encounter took place out of sight of the steamer.

The pinnace, gig, and a cutter were subsequently sent to look after the pirates, the boats being in charge of Commander Dorville, Mr. Drounston, Purser, and Messrs. Wilcox and Elliott.

Nothing could be seen of the pirates, but the bodies of Lieutenant Pidcock and George Ryder were recovered.

To return to the junks, the burning one was towed on shore and scuttled, and at low water not less than one hundred and seventy pounds of molten silver were taken out of her, together with a few burnt dollars and three bags of specie.

Five junks and Lorca were next morning taken in tow, but at coming on to blow one of the junks was sunk and the Lorca had to be cast off.

She subsequently arrived at Amoy.

four junks and fifty prisoners were taken into funchow and given up to the mandarins the number of guns captured of all sizes was eighty-four of which the pirate commodore's junk alone mounted sixteen viz two thirty two pounders two long nine feet thirteen pounders two eighteen pounder carronades four twelve pounders and others of various calibre This is probably the most gallant and decisive achievement in the annals of any navy, and the actors deserve the thanks of every merchant trading to the China seas.

End of Capture of a Chinese Pirate Fleet Recording by Colleen McMahon

Derelict.

A Reminiscence of Treasure Island by Young E. Allison.

Coffee Break Collection 18.

Pirates.

This is a LibriVox recording.

All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.

For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Read by Josh Kibbe.

Derelict.

A Reminiscence of Treasure Island.

Fifteen men on the dead man's chest, yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

Drinkin' the devil had done for the rest, yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

Cap'n Billy Bones, his song.

fifteen men on the dead man's chest yo ho ho and a bottle of rum drinkin the devil had done for the rest yo ho ho and a bottle of rum the mate was fixed by the bo'sun's pike the bo'sun brained with a marlin spike and cooky's throat was marked belike it had been gripped by fingers ten and there they lay all good dead men like break a day in a boozing kin yo ho ho and a bottle of rum Fifteen men of a whole ship's list, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

Dead and be damned, and the rest gone whist, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

The skipper lay with his knob in gore, With a scullion's axe his cheek had shore, And the scullion he was stabbed times four.

And there they lay, and the soggy skies Dripped all day long in upstaring eyes, At Merck's unset and at Fowl's sunrise, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

fifteen men of em stiff and stark yo ho ho and a bottle of rum ten of the crew had the murder mark yo ho ho and a bottle of rum twas a cutlass swipe or an ounce of lead or a yawing hole in a battered head and the scuppers glut with a rotting red and there they lay i damn my eyes all lookouts clapped on paradise all souls bound just contrariwise yo ho ho and a bottle of rum Fifteen men of them, good and true, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

Every man Jack had assailed with old Pew, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

There was chest on chest full of Spanish gold, With a ton of plate in the middle hold, And the cabin's riot of stuff untold.

And they lay there that had took the plum, With sightless glare and their lips struck dumb, While we shared all by the rule of thumb, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

more was seen through the stern-light screen yo ho ho and a bottle of rum chartings on doubt where a woman had been yo ho ho and a bottle of rum a flimsy shift on a bunker cot with a thin dirk slot through the bosom spot and that lay stiff dry in a purplish blot or was she wench or some shuddering maid that dared the knife and that took the blade by god she was stuff for a plucky jade yo ho ho and a bottle of rum Fifteen men on the dead man's chest, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

Drinkin' the devil had done for the rest, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

We wrapped em all in a manesel tight, With twice ten turns of a hawser's bite, And we heaved em over and out of sight.

With a yo-heave-ho and a fair you-well, And a sullen plunge and a sullen swell, Ten fathoms deep on the road to hell, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

End of Derelict A Reminiscence of Treasure Island

EXECUTION OF THE PIRATES Ten of the pirates captured by the British sloop of war Tyne were executed at Kingston, Jamaica, on Friday, the 7th of February, 1823.

About a quarter of an hour before day dawn, the wretched culprits were taken from the jail, under a guard of soldiers from the 50th Regiment and the City Guard.

On their arrival at the Wery Wharf, the military retired, and the prisoners with the town guard were put on board proceeded to port royal point the usual place of execution in similar cases they were there met by a strong party of military consisting of fifty men under the command of an officer they formed themselves into a square round the place of execution with the sheriff and his officers with the prisoners in the centre the gallows was of considerable length and contrived with a drop so as to prevent the unpleasant circumstances which frequently occur the unfortunate men had been in continual prayer from the time they were awakened out of a deep sleep till they arrived at that place where they were to close their existence they all expressed their gratitude for the attention they had met with from the sheriff and the inferior officers many pressed the hands of the turnkey to their lips others to their hearts and on their knees prayed that god jesus christ and the virgin mary would bless them and the other jailers for their goodness they all then fervently joined in prayer to

the

astonishment of all no clerical character of any persuasion was present they repeatedly called out adonde est il padre where is the holy father juan hernandez called on all persons present to hear him he was innocent what they had said about his confessing himself guilty was untrue he had admitted himself guilty because he hoped for pardon but that now he was to die he called god jesus christ the holy ghost the virgin mary and the saints to witness that he spoke truth that he was no pirate no murderer he had been forced the lieutenant of the pirates was a wretch who did not fear god and had compelled him to act juan gutierrez and francisco de saiz were loud in their protestations of innocence manuel lima said for himself he did not care he felt for the old man miguel jose how could he be a pirate who could not help himself if it were a christian country they would have pardoned him for his gray hairs he was innocent they had both been forced let none of his friends and relations ever venture to see he hoped his death would be a warning to them that the innocent might suffer for the guilty the language of this young man marked him a superior to the generality of his companions in misfortune the seamen of the whim stated that he was very kind to them when prisoners on board the piratical vessel just before he was turned off he addressed the old man adios viejo para siempre adios farewell old man forever farewell several of the prisoners cried out for mercy pardon pardon domingo yucalla the black man then addressed them do not look for mercy here but pray to god we are all brought here to die this is not built for nothing here we must end our lives you know i am innocent but i must die the same as you all there is not anybody here who can do us any good so let us only think of god almighty we are not children but men you know that all must die and in a few years those who kill us must die too when i was born god set the way of my death i do not blame anybody i was taken by the pirates and they made me help them they would not let me be idle i could not show that this was the truth and therefore they have judged me by the people they have found me with i am put to death unjustly but i blame nobody it was my misfortune come let us pray if we are innocent so much the less we have to repent i do not come here to accuse any one death must come one day or other better to the innocent than guilty he then joined in prayer with the others he seemed to be much reverenced by his fellow-prisoners he chose those prayers he thought most adapted to the occasion hundreds were witnesses to the manly firmness of this negro observing a bystander listening attentively to the complaints of one of his fellow wretches he translated what had been said into english with a steady pace and a resolute and resigned countenance he ascended the fatal scaffold observing the executioner unable to untie a knot on the collar of one of the prisoners he with his teeth undid it he then prayed most fervently till the drop fell miguel jose protested his innocence no he robado no he matado ninguno muero i have robbed no one i have killed no one i die innocent i am an old man but my family will feel my disgraceful death francisco miguel prayed devoutly but inaudibly his soul seemed to have quitted the body before he was executed gillimilit called on all to witness his innocence it was of no use for him to say an untruth for he was going before the face of god augustus hernandez repeatedly declared his innocence requested that no one would say he had made a confession he had none to make juan hernandez was rather obstinate when the executioner pulled the cap over his eyes he said rather passionately quitteis de mis ojos remove it from my eyes he then rubbed it up against one of the posts of the gallows miguel jose made the same complaint and drew the covering from his eyes by rubbing his head against a fellow-sufferer pedro nondre was loud in his ejaculations for mercy he wept bitterly he was covered with the marks of deep wounds the whole of the ten including the death-warrant having been placed on the scaffold and the ropes suspended the drop was let down nondre being an immense heavy man broke the rope and fell to the ground alive juan hernandez struggled long lima was much convulsed the old man guillemilet and miguel were apparently dead before the drop fell ucaya the black man gave one convulsion and all was over when nondre recovered from the fall and saw his nine lifeless companions stretched in death he gave an agonizing shriek he wrung his hands screamed favor favor me matan sin causa oh buenos cristianos me amparan amparame amparame no hay cristiano en esta tierra mercy mercy they kill me without cause o good christians protect me protect me o protect me is there no christian in this land he then lifted his eyes to heaven and prayed long and loud upon being again suspended he was for a long period convulsed he was an immense powerful man and died hard the execution of the pirates

Home of Blackbeard, One of America's Cruelest Pirates by Anonymous from The Dawson Record, August 16, 1903 Coffee Break Collection, 18, Pirates This is a LibriVox recording.

All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.

For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Colleen McMahon Home of Blackbeard, One of America's Cruelest Pirates elizabeth

city north carolina august sixth

within two miles of this town still stands the former home of the greatest pirate that ever infested the american coast a man who in the early part of the eighteenth century made himself master of the high seas and forced the world to acknowledge his naval supremacy as no other man has ever done this was edward teach otherwise blackbeard This whole locality was, for more than a hundred years, a rendezvous for pirates of the world, and the wife of Governor Pinckney walked the plank off Dare County, North Carolina.

When Edward Teach left Bristol, England, on his first cruise, he was a mere sailor.

Morgan, the famous buccaneer and privateer, had already introduced piracy as a gentleman's vocation, and until King Charles II gave him command of Jamaica as governor, he had created widespread consternation.

the next king was not so friendly and morgan is said to have returned to his lute teach was by this time his boon companion and lieutenant after the death of morgan teach returned to england where he squandered his gains with the support of one cornigold an old mariner of morgan's fleet teach was enabled to fit out a vessel and go into piracy for himself With an excellent training in cruelty under Morgan, Teach began a career which is without a parallel.

It was left for him to adopt Mongolian methods, murdering women and children with relentless cruelty.

Teach's first action on leaving the English coast was to follow the Gulf Stream straight to Carolina, where he made for the Sounds.

On the upper bank of the Pasquotank, he planted a colony accessible from the Sound.

The house which the pirate built is now occupied by a well-to-do farmer.

It is two stories high, with a deep basement walled in by rocks, which have given way to time exposing the basement to view from the outside.

All the material was originally brought from England, and though the floors and roofs have been repaired, the outside walls of English glazed brick show scarcely a crack.

The doors and inner walls are carved and paneled.

The attic above the second story was, according to tradition, the death chamber or execution room.

Here on the floor dull splashes and spattered drops of blood are discernible.

There is in the great fireplace in the attic a hidden opening which leads to the basement.

Into this opening, the bricks being first removed, the bodies of murdered captives were thrown into the moat below, which swept them out into the river and sound beyond.

A secret door led from the first floor to the basement, which seems to have been the chief jail, as it has barred windows.

There are marks all over the woodwork.

Here, Teach seems to have lived undisturbed.

In the county court of Pasquotank County, North Carolina, there are recorded certain deeds granting titles to Juan Teach.

with the inlets along the banks which protect and create the sounds well guarded and with the inadequate method of naval attack in vogue in the days of spanish supremacy it was easy for the pirate chieftain to establish himself securely and defy the authorities teach obtained the title of blackbeard soon after he became an independent pirate he made for himself a horsehair beard which represented a fiendish and unnatural growth of nature as a means of spreading terror among those who fell into his hands the beard was tied in red ribbon bows and had the desired effect Blackbeard's end was tragic.

While the pirate was in winter quarters and most of his cutthroats had scattered over the Spanish main, Governor Spottiswood of Virginia sent Lieutenant Maynard of the British Navy, with about thirty picked men, to seek Blackbeard.

The latter is said to have had seventeen men with him.

Maynard went to the pirate's home in a small vessel.

Seeing the armed craft approach, Blackbeard, with his usual daring, went out after it.

After an exchange of broadsides and a battle of short duration, the English vessel suddenly presented a scene of affright.

The men became frantic and rushed below deck, giving the ship up to the pirate.

Blackbeard was caught in a ruse and boldly grappled with his opponent's boat.

Mounting the gunwales, the pirate crew dashed recklessly on the captured English vessel.

At command, the hatchways were thrown back and a swarm of expert swordsmen dashed to meet the buccaneers.

a terrible battle followed blackbeard led his men with his usual intrepidity at the last when victory seemed within the grasp of blackbeard a sword entered his body and he fell wounded so that his men lost heart and were nearly all killed The head of Teach was severed from the body, and with this trophy mounted on the bowsprit, the English lieutenant returned to Virginia.

Searchers for Blackbeard's treasure have dug all along the Carolina shores, but all in vain.

Every occupant of his house has had the craze, but not a trace of his ill-gotten wealth has ever been found.

The Life and Exploits of Anne Bonny by Charles Elms Coffee Break Collection 18 Pirates This is a LibriVox recording.

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The Life and Exploits of Anne Bonny This female pirate was a native of Cork.

Her father was an attorney, and by his activity in business rose to considerable respectability in that place.

Anne was the fruit of an unlawful connection with his own servant maid, with whom he afterwards eloped to America, leaving his own affectionate and lawful wife.

He settled at Carolina, and for some time followed his own profession, but soon commenced merchant, and was so successful as to purchase a considerable plantation.

there he lived with his servant in the character of his wife but she dying his daughter anne superintended the domestic affairs of her father during her residence with her parents she was supposed to have a considerable fortune and was accordingly addressed by young men of respectable situations in life it happened with anne however as with many others of her youth and sex that her feelings and not her interest determined her choice of a husband she married a young sailor without a shilling.

The avaricious father was so enraged that, deaf to the feelings of a parent, he turned his own child out of doors.

Upon this cruel usage and the disappointment of her fortune, Anne and her husband sailed for the island of Providence in the hope of gaining employment.

Acting a part very different from that of Mary Read, anne's affections were soon estranged from her husband by captain rackam and eloping with him she went to see men's clothes proving with child the captain put her on shore and entrusted her to the care of some friends until her recovery when she again accompanied him in his expeditions upon the king's proclamation offering a pardon to all pirates he surrendered and went into the privateering business as we have related before he however soon embraced an opportunity to return to his favourite employment in all his piratical exploits anne accompanied him and as we have already recorded displayed such courage and intrepidity that she along with mary read and a seaman were the last three who remained on board when the vessel was taken anne was known to many of the planters in jamaica who remembered to have seen her in her father's house and they were disposed to intercede in her behalf her unprincipled conduct in leaving her own husband and forming an illicit connection with rackam tended however to render her friends less active by a special favour rackam was permitted to visit her the day before he was executed but instead of condoling with him on account of his sad fate she only observed that she was sorry to see him there, but if he had fought like a man, he needed not have been hanged like a dog.

Being with child, she remained in prison until her recovery, was reprieved from time to time, and though we cannot communicate to our readers any particulars of her future life or the manner of her death, yet it is certain that she was not executed.

The Life of Captain John Massey, Who Died for Piracy by Arthur L. Haywood This is a LibriVox recording.

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The Life of Captain John Massey, Who Died for Piracy The gentleman of whom we are now to speak, though he suffered for piracy, was a man of another turn of mind than any of whom we have hitherto had occasion to mention.

Captain John Massey was of a family I need not dwell on, since he hath at present two brothers living, who make a considerable figure in their respective professions.

This unhappy person had a natural vivacity in his temper, which sometimes rose to such a height that his relations took it for a degree of madness.

They therefore, hoping by a compliance with his humours to bring him to a better sense of things, sent him into the army, then in Flanders, under the command of the Duke of Marlborough, and there he assisted at the several sieges which were undertaken by the Confederate army after his arrival, that is, Mons, Douai, Bouchain, and several others.

Yet though he was bold there, even to temerity, he never received so much as one wound through the whole course of the war, in which, after the siege of Lille, he commanded as a lieutenant, and that with great reputation.

On his return into England, he at first wholly addicted himself to a religious sober life, the several accidents of the war having disposed him to a more serious temper by making him plainly perceive the hand of providence in protecting and destroying, according as its wisdom seeth fit but after a short stay in london he unhappily fell into the acquaintance of a lewd woman who so besotted him that he really intended to marry her if the regiments going to ireland had not prevented it but there the case was not much mended since captain massey gave too much way to the debaucheries generally practised in that nation on his coming back from thence by the recommendation of the duke of chandois he was made by the royal african company a lieutenant-colonel in their service and an engineer for erecting a fort on the coast of africa he promised himself great advantage and a very honourable support from this employment but he and the soldiers under his command being very ill used by the person who commanded the ship in which he went over being denied their proportion of provisions and in all other respects treated with much indignity It made a great impression on Captain Massey's mind, who could not bear to see numbers of those poor creatures perish, not only without temporal necessities, but wanting also the assistance of a divine in their last moments.

For the chaplain of the ship remained behind in the Madeiras, on a foresight, perhaps, of the miseries he should have suffered in the voyage.

In this miserable condition were things when the captain and his soldiers came into the river Gambier, where the designed fort was to be built.

Here the water was so bad that the poor wretches, already in the most dreadful condition, were many of them deprived of life a few days after they were on shore.

The captain was excessively troubled at the sight of their misfortunes, and too easily, in hopes of relieving them, gave way to the persuasion of a captain of a lighter vessel than his own, who arrived in that port and persuaded him to turn pirate rather than let his men starve.

After repeated solicitations, Captain Massey and his men went on board this ship, and having their tolerable good provisions, soon picked up their strength and took some very considerable prizes.

At the plundering of these, Massey was confused and amazed, not knowing well what to do, for though he was glad to see his men have meat, yet it gave him great trouble when he reflected on the methods by which they acquired it.

in this disconsolate state his night was often so troublesome to him as his days for as he himself said he seldom shut his eyes but he dreamt that he was sailing in a ship to the gallows with several others round him after a considerable space the ship putting into the island of jamaica for necessary supply of water and provision he made his escape to the governor and gave him such information that he took several vessels thereby but not being easy there he desired leave of sir nicholas lawes to return home sir nicholas gave him letters of recommendation but notwithstanding those he no sooner returned in england but he was apprehended and committed for piracy soon after which he was bailed but the persons who became security growing uneasy he surrendered in their discharge soon after which he was tried convicted and condemned during this space he remained in prison under condemnation he behaved with so much gravity piety and composedness as surprised all who saw him many of whom were inclined to think his case hard no mercy was to be had and as he did not expect it so false hopes never troubled his repose but as death was to cut him off from the world so he beforehand retired all his affections from thence and thought of nothing but that state whither he was going in his passage to execution he pointed to the african house said they have used me severely but i pray god prosper and bless them in all their undertakings mr nicholson of st sepulchre's attended him in his last moments just before he died he read the following speech to the people good people i beg of you to pray for my departing soul i likewise pray god to forgive all the evidences that swore against me as i do from my heart i challenge all the world to say i ever did a dishonourable act or anything unlike a gentleman but what might be common to all young fellows in this age this was surely a ras action but i did not designedly turn pirate i am sorry for it and i wish it were in my power to make amends to the honourable african company for what they have lost by my means i likewise declare upon the word of a dying man that i never once thought of molesting his grace the duke of chandois although it had been maliciously reported that i always went with two loaded pistols to despatch his grace as for the duke i was always while living devoted to his service for his good offices done unto me and i humbly beg almighty god that he would be pleased to pour down his blessings upon his good family good people once more i beg of you to pray for my departing soul i desire my dying words to be printed as for the truth and sincerity of it i sign them as a man departing this world john massey After he had pronounced these words, he signified it as his last request that neither his wife nor any of his relations might see his body after it was in the coffin.

Then, praying a few moments to himself, he submitted to his fate, being, at the time of his death, twenty-eight years old.

He suffered at High Watermark, Execution Dock, on the 26th of July, 1723, his unhappy death being universally pitied.

ebook of the life of captain john massey who died for piracy the life of philip roach a pirate c by arthur l haywood coffee break collection eighteen pirates this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox dot org the life of philip roach a pirate etc as in the life of captain massey my readers cannot but take notice of those great evils into which men are brought by over-forwardness and inconsideration so in the life of the malefactor we are now to speak of they will discern what a prodigious pitch of wickedness rapine and cruelty human nature is capable of reaching unto when people abandon themselves to a desire of living after their own wicked inclinations, without considering the injuries they do others while they gratify their own lusts and sensual pleasures.

Philip Roach was the son of a person of the same name in Ireland.

His father gave him all the education his narrow circumstances would permit, which extended, however, to reading and writing a tolerable good hand, after which he sent him to sea.

philip was a lad of ingenious parts and instead of forgetting as many do all they have learnt he on the contrary took all imaginable care to perfect himself in whatsoever he had but a slight notion of before he went to sea he made abundance of coasting voyages about his native island went once or twice to Barbados, and being a saving and industrious young fellow, picked up money enough to become first mate in a trading vessel to Nantes in France, by which being suffered to buy goods himself, he got considerably, and was in a fair way to attaining as great a fortune as he could reasonably expect.

But this slow method of getting money did by no means satisfy Roach, he was resolved to grow rich at once and not wait till much labour and many voyages have made him so when men once form to themselves such designs it is not long before they find companions fit for their purpose roach soon met with one neal a fisherman of no education barbarous but very daring a fellow who had all the qualities that could conspire to make a dangerous villain and who had already inured himself to the commission of whatever was black or bloody not only without remorse but without reluctance neal recommended him to one pierce cullen as a proper associate in those designs they were contriving For this Cullen, as Neil informed him, was a fellow of principles and qualifications much like himself, but had somewhat a better capacity for executing them, and with Neil had been concerned in sinking a ship after insuring her both in London and Amsterdam.

But Providence had disappointed them in the success of their wicked design, for Cullen having been known, or at least suspected of doing such a thing before those with whom they had insured at london instead of their paying the money caused them to be seized and brought to a trial which demolished all their schemes for cheating insurance offices cullen brought in his brother to their confederacy and after abundance of solicitation induced wise to come in likewise The project they had formed was to seize some light ship and turn pirates in her, conceiving it no difficult matter afterwards to obtain a stronger vessel, and one better fitted for their purpose.

The ship they pitched on to execute this their villainous purpose was that of Peter Tartu, a Frenchman of a very generous disposition, who on Roche and his companions telling him a melancholy story readily entertained them.

and perceiving roach was an experienced sailor he entrusted him upon any occasion with the care and command of the ship having done so one night himself and the chief mate with the rest of the french who were on board went to rest except a man and a boy whom roach commanded to go up and furl the sails he then called the rest of his irish associates to him upon the quarter-deck There, Roche, perceiving that Francis Wise began to relent, and fearing he should persuade others in the same measures, he told him that if every Irishman on board did not assist in destroying the French, and put him and Cullen in a capacity of retrieving the losses they had had at sea, they would treat whoever hesitated in obeying them with as little mercy as they did the Frenchman.

But if they would all resist, they should all fare alike, and have a share in the booty.

upon this the action began and two of them running up after the frenchman and boy one tossed the lad by the arm into the water and the other driving the man down upon the deck he there had his brains dashed out by roach and his companions they fell next upon those who were retired to their rest some of whom upon the shrieks of the man and boy who were murdered rising hastily out of their beds and running up upon deck to see what occasioned those dismal noises were murdered themselves before they well knew where they were the mate and the captain were next brought up and roach went immediately to binding them together in order to toss them overboard as had been consulted twas in vain for poor tar too to plead the kindness he had done them all and particularly roach they were deaf to all sentiments either of gratitude or pity and though the poor men entreated only so much time as to say their prayers and recommend themselves to god yet the villains though they could be under no apprehensions having already murdered all the rest of the men would not even yield to this but cullen hastened roach in binding them back to back to toss them at once into the sea then hurrying down into the cabin they tapped a little barrel of rum to make themselves good cheer and laughed at the cries of the two poor drowned men whom they distinctly heard calling upon god until their voices and their breaths were lost in the waves after having drunk and eaten their fill with as much mirth and jollity as if they had been at a feast they began to plunder the vessel breaking open the chests and taking out of them what they thought proper then to drinking they went again pleasing themselves with the barbarous expedition which they resolved to undertake as soon as they could get a ship proper to carry them into the west indies intending there to follow the example the buccaneers had set them and rob and plunder all who fell into their hands From these villainies in intention, the present state of their affairs called upon them to make some provision for their immediate safety.

They turned therefore into the Channel, and putting the ship into Portsmouth, there got her new painted, and then sailed for Amsterdam, Roach being unanimously recognised their captain, and all of them promising faithfully to submit to him through the course of their future expeditions.

On their arrival in Holland, they had the ship a second time new painted, and thinking themselves now safe from all discovery began to sell off captain tartu's cargo as fast as they could no sooner had they completed this but getting one mr annesley to freight them with goods to england himself also going as a passenger they resolved with themselves to make prize of him and his effects as they had also done with the french captain mr annesley poor man little dreaming of their design came on board as soon as the wind served and the next night a brisk gale blowing they tore him suddenly out of his bed and tossed him over roach and cullen being with others in the great cabin he swam round and round the ship called out to them and told them they should freely have all his goods if they would take him in and save his life for he had friends and fortunes enough in england to make up that loss but his entreaties were all vain to a set of wretches who had long ago abandoned all sentiments of humour and mercy they therefore caroused as usual and after sharing the booty steered the vessel for england some information of their villanies had by that time reached thither so that upon a letter being stopped at the post-office which roach as soon as they had landed had written to his wife a messenger was immediately sent down who brought philip up in custody being brought to the council table and there examined he absolutely denied either that himself was philip roach or that he knew of any one of that name but his letters under his own hand to his wife being produced he was not able any longer to stand in that falsehood yet those in authority knowing that there was not legal proof sufficient to bring these abominable men to justice offered roach his life provided he gave such information that they might be able to apprehend and convict any three of his companions more wicked than himself but he was so far from complying therewith that he suffered those of his crew who were taken to perish in custody rather than become an evidence against them this was the fate of neil who perished of want in the marshalsea having in vain petitioned for a trunk in which was a large quantity of money clothes and other things to a considerable value which had been seized in ireland by virtue of a warrant from the lord justice of that kingdom on the account of the detention of which while he perished for want of necessaries and clothes neale most heavily complained forgetting that these very things were the plunder of those unhappy persons whom they had so barbarously murdered after having received so much kindness and civility from them In the meanwhile, Roche, being confined in Newgate, went constantly to the chapel and appeared of so obliging a temper that many persuaded themselves he could not be guilty of the bloody crimes laid to his charge.

And, taking advantage of these kind thoughts of theirs, he framed a new story in defence of himself.

He said that there happened a quarrel on board the ship between an Irishman and a Frenchman, and that Tartu, taking part with his own nation, threatened to lash the Irishman severely, though he was not in any way in the wrong.

This, he pretended, begat a general quarrel between the two nations, and the Irish being the stronger, they overpowered and threw the French overboard, in the heat of their anger, without considering what they did.

Throughout the whole time he lay in Newgate, he very much delighted himself with the exercise of his pen, continually writing upon one subject or other, and often assisting his fellow-prisoners in writing letters or whatever else they wanted in that kind when he was told that neil who died in the marshalsea gushed out all parts of his body with wood so that before he expired he was as if he had been dipped in gall roach replied it was a just judgment that he who had always lived in blood should die covered with it Some time afterwards, being told that one of his companions had poisoned himself, he said, Alas, that so evil an end should follow so evil a life.

For his part, he would suffer providence to take its course with him, and rather die the most ignominious death, than to his other crimes, add that of self-murder.

The rest who had been apprehended, dying one by one in the same dreadful condition with Neil, that is, with the blood gushing from every part of their body, which looked so much like a judgment that all who saw it were amazed he roach began to think himself perfectly safe after the death of his companions supposing that now there was nobody to bear any testimony against him and therefore instead of appearing in any way dismayed he most earnestly desired the speedy approach of an admiralty session it was not long before it happened and when he found what evidence would be produced against him he appeared much less solicitous about his trial than anybody in his condition would have been expected to be for he very well knew it was impossible for them to prove him guilty of the murders and as impossible for him to be acquitted of the piracy after receiving sentence of death he declared himself a papist and said that he could no longer comply with the service of the church of england and come to chapel he did not however think that he was in any danger of death but supposed that the promises which had been made him on this first examination would now take place and prevent the execution of his sentence when therefore the messenger returned from hanover and brought the express order that he should die he appeared exceedingly moved thereat and without reflecting at all on the horrid and barbarous treatment with which he had used others he could not forbear complaining of the great hardship he suffered in being put into the death-warrant after a promise had been made him of life though nothing is more certain than that he never performed any part of those conditions upon which it was to have taken place at the place of execution he was so faint confused and in such a consternation that he could not speak either to the people or to those who were nearer at hand dying with the greatest marks of dejection and confusion that could possibly be seen in any criminal whatever he was about thirty years old at the time of his execution which was at high water mark execution dock on the fourteenth of august seventeen twenty three end of the life of philip roach a pirate c

ON PIRATES of the nameless classics which were of so much concern to all of us when we were young the most important were certainly those salt and blusterous volumes that told of pirates it was in vain for kindly relatives to give us books on nelson and his like for their craft beautiful though they might be to the eye had ever the moralities lurking between decks and if we met them it was only that we might make their crews walk the plank and add new stores of guns and treasure to the crimson vessel with the sinister flag which it was our pleasure to command and yet the books that gave us this splendid dominion where are they now in truth i cannot say examination of recent boys books has convinced me that the old spirit is lacking for if pirates are there it is only as the hapless victims of horrible british crews with every virtue save that one which youth should cherish most the revolutionary spirit who would be a midshipman when he might be a pirate yet all the books would have it so and even mr kenneth graham who knows everything that is worth knowing does not always take the right side in such matters the grown-up books are equally unsatisfactory to the inquiring mind treasure island which is sometimes loosely referred to as if it were a horn-book for young pirates hardly touches the main problems of pirate life at all stevenson's consideration for youth and the fond made him leave out all oaths no ships are taken no lovely females captured nobody walks the plank and captain john silver for all the main strength and masterfulness that henley suggested to the author falls lamentably short of what a pirate should be captain teach of the sarah in the master of ballantrae is better and there were the makings of a very good pirate captain in the master himself but this section of the book is too short to supply our requirements the book must be all pirates defoe's captain singleton repents and is therefore disqualified and marryat's pirate is as stevenson said written in sand with a salt spoon mr clark russell in one of his romances ingeniously melts a pirate who has been frozen for a couple of centuries into life but though he promises well at first he is but a torpid ferocity and ends as it began in words nor are the histories of the pirates more satisfying captain johnson's history of notorious pirates i have not seen but any one who wishes to lose an illusion can read the trial of william kidd and a few of his companions in the state trials of the year seventeen o one the captain of the adventure galley appears to have done little to merit the name of pirate beyond killing his gunner with a bucket and the miserable results of his pilfering bear no relationship to the enormous hoard associated with his name in the gold bug of po though there is certainly a familiar note in finding included among his captives a number of barrels of sugar candy which were divided in shares among the crew the captain himself having forty shares the turkish pirates mentioned in purchase cut a very poor figure you can read there how four english youths overcame a prize crew of thirteen men who had been put in the ship jacob in a storm they slew the pirate captain for with the handle of a pump they gave him such a palt on the pat as made his brains forsake the possession of his head they then killed three of the other pirates with cuttle-axes and brought the ship safely into spain where they sold the nine turks for galley slaves for a good sum of money and as i think a great deal more than they were worth not thus would the chronicles have described the pirates who fought and caroused with such splendid devotion in my youth to die beneath the handle of a pump is an unworthy end for a pirate captain the history of the buccaneers of america written by a brother of fanny burney a book which was the subject of one of mr andrew lang's appreciative essays is nearer the mark for among other notable fellows mentioned therein is one francois who put to death the whole crew of a spanish ship ninety men by beheading them performing himself the office of executioner one of the gentlemen in the book turned buccaneer in order to pay his debts while it is told of another that he shot one of his crew in church for behaving irreverently during mass sir henry morgan and richard sawkins performed some pretty feats of piracy but their main energies were concerned in the sacking of towns and the whole book suffers from an unaccountable prejudice which the author displays against the brave and hard-working villains of whom he writes in truth these real pirates are disappointing men to meet they are usually lacking in fierceness and infidelity to the pirate ideals of courage and faithfulness to their comrades while the fine nobility of character which was never absent from those other pirates is unknown in the historical kind few if any of them merit the old portuguese punishment for pirates which consisted in hanging them from the yards of their own ship and setting the latter to drift with the winds and waves without rudder or sails an example for rogues and a source of considerable danger to honest mariners if that were a fitting end for great knaves the meaner ruffians must be content with the pump-handle and the bucket it is hard if our hearts may not go out to those gloomy vessels with their cargoes of gold and courage and rum that sail it seems the mental seas of youth no more were they really bad for us these sanguinary tussles those starlit nights of dissipation a pinafore would wipe away a deal of blood and the rum though we might drink it boiling like in no wise lessened our interest in home-made cake but these regrets are of yesterday and to-day i must draw what consolation i may from the kindly comment of mr lang alluring as the pirate's profession is we must not forget that it had a seamy side and was by no means all rum and pieces of eight and there is something repulsive to a generous nature in roasting men because they will not show you where to steal hogs on pirates

excerpt from captain thomas white from the history of the pirates by henry benton and thomas carey published in eighteen twenty nine coffee break collection eighteen pirates this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox dot org Captain Thomas White.

He was born at Plymouth, where his mother kept a public house.

She took great care of his education, and when he was grown up, as he had an inclination to the sea, procured him the king's letter.

After he had served some years on board a man-of-war, he went to Barbados, where he married, got into the merchant service, and designed to settle in the island.

he had the command of the marigold brigantine given him in which he made two successful voyages to guinea and back to barbadoes in his third he had the misfortune to be taken by a french pirate as were several other english ships the masters and inferior officers of which they detained being in want of good artists The brigantine belonging to White they kept for their own use, and sunk the vessel they before sailed in.

In meeting with a ship on the Guinea coast more fit for their purpose, they went on board her and burnt the brigantine.

It is not my business here to give an account of this French pirate any further than Captain White's story obliges me.

though i begged leave to take notice of their barbarity to the english prisoners for they would set them up as a butt or mark to shoot at several of whom were thus murdered in cold blood by way of diversion white was marked out for a sacrifice by one of these villains for i know not what reason had sworn his death which he escaped thus one of the crew who had a friendship for white knew this fellow's design to kill him in the night and therefore advised him to lie between him and the ship's side, with intention to save him, which indeed he did, but was himself shot dead by the murderous villain who mistook him for White.

After some time cruising along the coast, the pirates doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and shaped their course for Madagascar, where, being drunk and mad, they knocked their ship on the head, at the south end of the island at a place called by the natives alexa the country thereabouts was governed by a king named mafuli when the ship struck captain white captain bornman born in the isle of wight formerly a lieutenant of a man-of-war but in the merchant's service when he fell into the hands of the pirates captain bowen and some other prisoners got into the long-boat and with broken oars and barrel staves which they found in the bottom of the boat paddled to augustin bay which is about fourteen or fifteen leagues from the wreck where they landed and were kindly received by the king of bava the name of that part of the island who spoke good english they stayed here a year and a half at the king's expense who gave them a plentiful allowance of provision as was his custom to all white men who met with any misfortune on his coast his humanity not only provided for all such but for the first european vessel that came in he always obliged to take in the unfortunate people let the vessel be what it would for he had no notion of any difference between pirates and merchants at the expiration of the above term a pirate brigantine came in on board which the king obliged them to enter or travel by land to some other place which they durst not do and of two evils chose the least that of going on board the pirate vessel which was commanded by one william reed who received them very civilly this commander went along the coast and picked up what europeans he could meet with his crew however did not exceed forty men he would have been glad to take on board some of the wrecked frenchmen but for the barbarity they had used towards the english prisoners however it was impracticable for the french pretending to lord it over the natives whom they began to treat inhumanly were set upon by them one half of their number cut off and the other half made slaves reed with his gang and a brigantine of sixty tons steered his course for the gulf of persia where they met a grab a one-masted vessel of about two hundred tons which was made prize they found nothing on board but bail goods most of which they threw overboard to search for gold and to make room in the vessel but as they learned afterwards they threw over in their search what they so greedily hunted for for there was a considerable quantity of gold concealed in one of the bales they tossed into the sea in this cruise captain reed fell ill and died and was succeeded by one james the brigantine being small crazy and worm-eaten they shaped their course for the island of maota where they took out the masts of the brigantine fitted up the grab and made a ship of her Here they took in a quantity of fresh provision, which is in this island very plentiful and very cheap, and found a twelve-oared boat, which formerly belonged to the Ruby East India Man, which had been lost there.

They stayed here on the monsoon time, which is about six months, after which they resolved for Madagascar.

As they came in with the land, they spied a ship coming round from the east side of the island, They gave chase on both sides so that they soon met.

They hailed each other and received the same answer from each vessel, namely, from the seas.

They joined company.

This vessel was a small French ship laden with liquors from Martinico, first commanded by one Furgate to trade with the pirates for slaves at Ambanawalla on the east side of the island.

in the latitude of seventeen degrees thirty minutes, and was by them taken after the following manner.

The pirates who were headed by George Booth, now commander of the ship, went on board, as they had often done, to the number of ten, and carried money with them, under pretense of purchasing what they wanted.

This Booth had formerly been a gunner of a pirate ship called the Dolphin, captain fourgette was pretty much upon his guard and searched every man as he came over the side and a pair of pocket pistols were found upon a dutchman who was the first entered the captain told him he was a rogue and had a design upon his ship and the pirates pretended to be so angry with this fellow's offering to come on board with arms that they threatened to knock him on the head and tossing him roughly into the boat ordered him ashore though they had before taken an oath on the bible either to carry the ship or to die in the undertaking they were all searched but they however contrived to get on board four pistols which were all the arms they had for the enterprise though forget had twenty hands on board and his small arms on the awning to be in readiness the captain invited them into cabin to dinner but booth chose to dine with the petty officers though one johnson isaac and another went down booth was to give the watchword which was hurrah standing near the awning and being a nimble fellow at one spring threw himself upon it drew the arms to him fired his pistol forward among the men one of whom he wounded who jumping overboard was lost and gave the signal three i said were in the cabin and seven upon the deck who had handspikes and the arms seized secured the ship's crew the captain and his two mates who were dining at dinner in the cabin hearing the pistol fell upon johnson and stabbed him in several places with their forks but they being silver did him no great damage furigate snatched his piece which he snapped at isaac's breast several times but it would not go off At last, finding his resistance vain, he submitted, and the pirate set him and those of his men who would not join them on shore, allowing them to take his books, papers, and whatever else he claimed as being to himself, and besides, treating him very humanely, gave him several casks of liquor with arms and powder to purchase provisions in that country.

i hope this digression as it was in a manner needful will be excused captain thomas white syllabus for the united states v smith decided by the supreme court in eighteen twenty COFFEE BREAK COLLECTION 18 PIRATES This is a LibriVox recording.

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THE UNITED STATES VERSUS SMITH The Act of the 3rd of March, 1819, C. 76 S. 5, Referring to the law of nations for a definition of the crime of piracy is a constitutional exercise of the power of Congress to define and punish that crime.

The crime of piracy is defined by the law of nations with reasonable certainty.

Robbery or forcible depredation upon the sea.

Animo ferrande.

Is piracy by the law of nations? and by the Act of Congress.

This is an indictment for piracy against the prisoner Thomas Smith before the Circuit Court of Virginia on the Act of Congress by the 3rd of March, 1819, C-76.

Footnote E, which provides Section 5, that if any person or persons whatsoever shall on the high seas commit the crime of piracy as defined by the law of nations

and

such offender or offenders shall afterwards be brought into or found in the united states every such offender or offender shall upon conviction thereof before the circuit court of the united states for the district into which he or they may be brought or in which he or they shall be found be punished with death and footnote a the jury found a special verdict as follows we of the jury find that the prisoner thomas smith in the month of march eighteen nineteen and others were part of the crew of a private armed vessel called the criollo commissioned by the government of buenos ayres a colony then at war with spain and lying in the port of margarita that in the month of march eighteen nineteen the said prisoner and others of the crew mutinied confined their officer left the vessel and in the said port of margarita seized by violence a vessel called the irresistible a private armed vessel lying in the port commissioned by the government of articas who also was at war with spain that the said prisoner and others having so possessed themselves of the said vessel the irresistible appointed their officers proceeded to sea on a cruise without any documents or commission whatever and while on that cruise in the month of april eighteen nineteen on the high seas committed the offence charged in the indictment by the plunder and robbery of the spanish vessel therein mentioned if a plunder and robbery aforesaid be piracy under the act of the congress of the united states entitled an act to protect the commerce of the united states and punish the crime of piracy then we find the said prisoner guilty if the plunder and robbery above stated be not piracy under the said act of congress then we find him not guilty The Circuit Court divided on the question whether this be piracy as defined by the Law of Nations, so as to be punishable under the Act of Congress of the 3rd of March, 1819, and thereupon the question was certified to this Court for its decision.

THE YANKEY PRIVATEER Come listen, and I'll tell you how first I went to sea To fight against the British and earn our liberty.

We shipped with Cap'n Whipple, who never knew a fear, The captain of the Providence, the Yankee privateer.

We sailed and we sailed and made good cheer, There were many pretty men on the Yankee privateer.

The British Lord High Admiral, he wished old Whipple harm, He wrote that he would hang him at the end of his yard arm.

My Lord, wrote Cap'n Whipple back, it seems to me it's clear, That if you want to hang him, you must catch your privateer.

We sailed and we sailed and made good cheer, But not a British frigate could come near the privateer.

We sailed to the southward and nothing did we meet, Till we found three British frigates in their West Indian fleet.

Old Whipple shut our ports as we crawled up near, And they sent us all below on the Yankee privateer.

So slowly he sailed we dropped to the rear, And not a soul suspected the Yankee privateer.

At night we put the lights out, and forward we ran, And silently we boarded the biggest merchant man.

We knocked down the watch, and the lubbers shook for fear, She's a prize without a shot to the Yankee privateer.

We sent the prize north while we lay near, And all day we slept on the bold privateer.

For ten nights we followed, and ere the moon rose, Each night a prize we'd taken beneath the lion's nose.

when the british looked to see why their ships should disappear they found they had in convoy a yankee privateer but we sailed and sailed and made good cheer not a coward was on board of the yankee privateer the biggest british frigate bore round to give us chase but though he was the fleeter old whipple wouldn't race till he'd raked her fore and aft for the lubbers couldn't steer then he showed them the heels of the yankee privateer then we sailed and we sailed and we made good cheer but not a british frigate could come near the privateer then northward we sailed to the town we all know and there lay our prizes all anchored in a row and welcome were we to our friends so dear and we shared a million dollars on the bold privateer we'd sailed and we'd sailed and we made good cheer we had all full pockets on the bold privateer Then we each manned a ship, and our sails we unfurled, and we bore the stars and stripes o'er the oceans of the world.

From the proud flag of Britain we swept the seas clear, and we earned our independence on the Yankee privateer.

Then landsmen and sailors won more cheer.

Here is three times three for the Yankee privateer.

End of The Yankee Privateer.

Recording by Chris Pyle.