Historic Events of Colonial DaysHolland, Rupert Sargent
History
Historic Events of Colonial Days
Holland, Rupert Sargent
United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
In the meantime the governor's flag-ship was chasing the pirate
flag-ship. Antony and another boy stood near Johnson, ready to run his
errands whenever needed; Nick was of the crew that manned one of the
forward cannon. It was a long stern chase, but Johnson slowly drew up on
the other. The buccaneers threw their small boats and even their guns
overboard in an attempt to lighten their ship, but the ship from Charles
Town was the faster, and at length overhauled the rover. A few
broadsides of shot, and the black flag came fluttering down from the
masthead; the governor and part of his crew went on board and the
pirates surrendered.
Antony, dogging the governor's steps, was by him when the hatches were
lifted; to his great astonishment he saw that the hold was filled with
frightened women. The governor turned to the captured rover captain.
"What does this mean?" he demanded, pointing to the women, who were now
climbing to the deck with the help of the Charles Town crew.
"When we captured this ship," said the rover, "we found she was the
_Eagle_, bound from England to Virginia, carrying convicts and
indentured servants. We'd have set them ashore at the first good
chance."
It was true. There were thirty-six women on board, sailing from England
to find husbands and homes in the new world. The pirates had changed the
name of the ship, and taken her for their own use, but had had no chance
to land the women safely.
The governor had another surprise that day. He found that the captain of
this fleet of pirates was not Moody, as all Charles Town had supposed,
but an even more dreaded buccaneer, Richard Worley. This Richard Worley
had been on board the sloop, and had been killed in the fierce fighting
on her deck that morning.
Antony and Nick were of the crew that brought the captured _Eagle_,
with her cargo of women, back to shore. There kind-hearted people of
Charles Town took care of the frightened passengers. In the town that
night there was great rejoicing over the defeat of two of the rovers who
infested that part of the seas, Stede Bonnet and Richard Worley. It was
true that Blackbeard and Moody were still at large, but it might well be
that the fate of their fellows would prove a warning to them that the
people of Charles Town meant business. Governor Johnson and his crews
went back to their regular business, and the town grew quiet again.
Neither Moody nor Blackbeard again troubled the good people there. Weeks
later it was learned that Moody had heard how Charles Town was prepared
for him, and that he had gone to Jamaica, and there taken the "King's
pardon," which was granted to all pirates who would give up their
lawless trade before the following first of January. Afterward word came
that Blackbeard had been captured by a fleet sent out by Governor
Spotswood of Virginia, and commanded by officers of the Royal British
Navy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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