Fanny Campbell, The Female Pirate Captain: A Tale of The RevolutionBallou, Maturin M. (Maturin Murray)
History
Fanny Campbell, The Female Pirate Captain: A Tale of The Revolution
Ballou, Maturin M. (Maturin Murray)
Sea stories; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction; War stories; Women pirates -- Fiction
The mild, tropical seas of the West Indies were visited, the Moro Castle
once more looked upon, the old anchorage without the harbor once more
assumed, and the very prison within whose walls Lovell had been confined
was visited, each drawing forth fresh interest and an increased desire
for exploration.
After revictualing their fairy craft, the Vision was steered boldly
across the great ocean to the North East, nor furled sail until she
dropped anchor at Gibralter. From thence she entered that great inland
sea the Mediterranean. They visited its ports and ancient spots of
renown and interest, roamed together in that classic land of generous
nature, soft, sunny Italy and thus together whiled away many a month of
pleasant occupation.
Not a little admiration was elicited by the appearance of the American
pleasure yacht in those distant seas. Compared to the large cumbersome
vessels that navigated the waters about her, she looked but a mean
cockle shell, a bird. She spread a large extent of canvass, which,
projecting over her low and graceful hull, hid it mostly from sight when
she was under way.
Like a diamond in a broach, the Isle of Man is set in the very midst of
the Irish Sea midway between the bold shores of England, Scotland, and
Ireland. It is a gem of an Island, and even in the days of which we
write, it boasted of one or two as fine castles and ancient estates, as
the oldest part of England itself. It was at this time, not dependant
on any of the surrounding powers but appeared to be neutral ground where
each and all might meet in amnesty; nor was it until a comparatively
late date that it came completely within the power and possession of
the crown of England, to which it now belongs. It was a romantic spot
in those days, being the resort of the most daring smugglers and
freebooters of the times. The inducements for smuggling from this well
known spot were great, and gave employment to a few hardy and daring
spirits, whose large profits in their perilous trade, more than
compensated them for the continued risk they encountered in their
nightly voyages from the Island to the banks of the Solway, where the
contrabandists generally landed their goods.
Here too, peace and time have worked almost a miracle. At this day, the
spot once the rendezvous for freebooters, has become a place of no
small commercial importance, forming a military and naval depot for
the crowded ranks and numerous flats of the British army and navy.
Its productive soil and highly cultivated lands, its neat cottages and
admirable roads, are a picture of modern improvement. From the highest
point of this Island of the Irish sea, in clear weather the visitor has
a view of the three united Kingdoms of Great Britain. The Vision had run
down the coast, and desiring to see this far-famed spot, she was steered
to its western side, and now lay at anchor in one of its quiet bays.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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