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.
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. 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 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.
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.
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.
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 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 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 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.
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.
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 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.
_Phoenix_, 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."
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.